Formula 1 World Championship leader Jenson Button set the fastest time of the second practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday.
However, Williams’ Nico Rosberg posted a late last lap – narrowly slower than Button’s best - to take second place off the Englishman’s team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who finished up third.
The German, fastest in several free practice sessions already this season, may even have nicked first place away from Button, if not for a lock-up on another fast lap. Setanta Sports
Click Here For More Formula 1 Photos
Button lapped his Brawn in 1m 35.679s to pip Nico Rosberg by just 0.025s. The Williams driver posted a best lap of 1m 35.704s, which left him just ahead of Button’s team mate Rubens Barrichello on 1m 35.881s. They were the only three to dip beneath 1m 36s.
Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel were fourth and fifth for Red Bull on 1m 36.105s and 1m 36.167s respectively, ahead of Jarno Trulli on 1m 36.217s for Toyota, Kazuki Nakajima on 1m 36.377s in the second Williams, Timo Glock on 1m 36.548s in the second Toyota, Heikki Kovalainen on 1m 36.674s in the leading McLaren and Sebastien Bourdais, again quick for Toro Rosso, on 1m 36.800s. Formula 1
Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton was 13th in his McLaren-Mercedes, running with a new front wing and interim diffuser on his car.
Hamilton, who was quickest in the morning session, was stripped of a podium finish in Australia for misleading race stewards about an overtaking move by Trulli and is battling to defend his title and his reputation.
Struggling along with the two Ferraris—Brazilian Felipe Massa was 12th and former champion Kimi Raikkonen was 14th.
Click Here For More Formula 1 Photos
But worse still were the travails of two-times world champion Fernando Alonso, with the Spaniard 19th for Renault on a day when his team chief Flavio Briatore said that this year’s title race had effectively been settled. Fox Sports
| 
|