Sakhir, Bahrain ? There’s a new rivalry heating up in Formula One – between Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton.

Raikkonen was the fastest in his Ferrari in the first two practices for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday, while Hamilton was just behind in his McLaren as he bids to make Formula One history.

Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, also in a Ferrari, set the best times in the morning practice, before Raikkonen was quickest in the afternoon with Hamilton second.

Raikkonen, winner of the season-opening Australian GP, finished in 1 minute, 33.162 seconds in the morning and 1:33.527 in the afternoon on the 3.363-mile Bahrain International circuit. Swirling winds blew sand everywhere to make driving tricky.

“It was difficult to find the right balance, partly because at this track the wind makes the car difficult to drive,” Raikkonen said. “It is too early to say where everyone stands, but the performance levels of the top teams seem to be very close.”

Hamilton was third in the morning in 1:34.110, and then was timed at 1:33.540 in the afternoon.

There is another practice this morning, with qualifying set for this afternoon.

Ferrari did well in the February testing here and has new engines after two races. Raikkonen, who finished third at Malaysia behind the two McLarens, said he had to make compromises to preserve his engine in the last race.