SAKHIR, Bahrain — Lewis Hamilton crashed his McLaren car while Ferrari dominated the practice session today for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton withdrew from the afternoon practice session after losing control while coming around the sixth corner, veering off the track and sliding sideways into the protective tires. Hamilton's front wheel was snapped, while pieces of his car — including a side mirror — lay strewn in the sand.

Hamilton emerged unhurt from the crash. He had finished fourth in both practice sessions. Last year, the 23-year-old Briton finished runner-up to Felipe Massa in the event.

Ferrari quickly re-established itself as the team to beat following a disappointing start to the F1 season. Massa outpaced teammate Kimi Raikkonen to take both sessions.

The Brazilian driver showed his determination to put a poor start to the Formula One season behind him, following up a best time of 1 minute, 32.233 seconds with 1:31.420.

Massa comes into the third race on the calendar without a single point following a retirement at the season-opening Australian GP and a spinout at Sepang. Massa won in Bahrain from pole last year.

Raikkonen, the reigning world champion, completed 45 laps across both sessions with a best time of 1:32.350 at the 3.363-mile circuit to start. His 21st lap of the afternoon session provided his 1:32.447 result.

Renault's Fernando Alonso tangled with Force India's Adrian Sutil toward the end of the afternoon session after Alonso tried to pass the German on the inside around the first corner. Both drivers came to a stop but the cars were not damaged and they kept racing.

Heikki Kovalainen passed teammate Hamilton for third with 1:32.752 in the afternoon. The Finn was fifth in the morning.

BMW Sauber, which is looking to challenge the dominant Ferrari and McLaren teams for its first race win at Bahrain, was more than a second behind Massa in both sections.