)_163_ccc.jpg)
Sebastian Vettel resumed his place at the top of the timing sheets during final practice for the Chinese Grand Prix as he maintained his advantage over the McLarens ahead of qualifying.
On the softer Pirelli tyres he set a 1:34.968 to pip the fastest McLaren of Jenson Button by 0.208 seconds around the 3.4 mile track.
Lewis Hamilton was 0.405 off the lead Red Bull but scuppered his chances of a quick hot-lap by running wide in the first corner and dirtying his only set of soft tyres.
Perhaps the biggest story of the session was Mark Webber’s ongoing KERS problem in the No. 2 Red Bull.
Click Here to Read More
F1 Standings Ahead of Chinese Grand Prix
Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel Fastest in First Practice at China
Formula 1: Chinese Grand Prix - First Practice Results
Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel Fastest in Second Practice at China
Formula 1: Chinese Grand Prix - Second Practice Results
Formula 1: Chinese Grand Prix - Final Practice Results
The official line from the team was that he had an electrical problem and he only completed five laps during the hour-long session. ESPN F1
Mark Webber was left fuming after finishing the session only 15th fastest owing to an electrical fault with his car.
Championship leader Vettel’s fellow countryman Nico Rosberg of Mercedes was in fourth.
Ferrari drivers double champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Brazilian Felipe Massa were fifth and sixth quickest respectively followed by Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault.
Force India driver German Adrian Sutil was in eighth ahead of his countryman and seven times champion Michael Schumacher in the second Mercedes, while Rookie Briton Paul di Resta in the second Force India was 10th fastest. Bangkok Post
Nick Heidfeld didn’t go off this time, but was down in 11th in the second Renault with a lap of 1m 36.404s, then came the evenly matched Saubers of Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez on 1m 36.582s and 1m 36.596s. Sebastien Buemi was again Toro Rosso’s leader in 14th with 1m 36.717s, with Jaime Alguersuari 16th on 1m 36.953s. Between them, Mark Webber was stranded on 1m 36.896s after technical issues prevented him doing the final runs.
Williams were again in trouble and lacking speed, with Rubens Barrichello on 1m 37.007s ahead of Pastor Maldonado on 1m 37.304s, then there was a gap to Heikki Kovalainen who was again the faster Lotus driver. The Finn lapped in 1m 38.176s. Jarno Trulli, who spun in Turn 11, was next with 1m 38.739s. A lot of overnight head-scratching got the Virgins going a lot better today, with Timo Glock lapping in 1m 39.938s to narrowly head team mate Jerome D’Ambrosio on 1m 39.998s. The HRTs were at the back again, but ran reliably as Tonio Liuzzi got down to 1m 40.593s ahead of team mate Narain Karthikeyan on 1m 40.881s. Formula 1
| 
|