A pretty drab session was the first free practice of the Chinese Grand Prix, where drivers have not decided to start marking time until half an hour after the beginning of the session. After a few laps of adaptation to the circuit and tyres, times have improved rapidly and Mercedes have taken the lead of the session with an advantage over their competitors; Rosberg has been 0.4 ahead of Hamilton and 0.9 way from Webber, who was 3rd.
Later the teams have decided to try a higher fuel load, so hardly anyone has improved during the last minutes of the session.
Results:
| 1º | Rosberg | Mercedes |
| 2º | Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 3º | Webber | Red Bull |
| 4º | Vettel | Red Bull |
| 5º | Alonso | Ferrari |
| 6º | Button | McLaren |
| 7º | Massa | Ferrari |
| 8º | Sutil | Force India |
| 9º | Grosjean | Lotus |
| 10º | Di Resta | Force India |
| 11º | Raikkonen | Lotus |
| 12º | Vergne | Toro Rosso |
| 13º | Maldonado | Williams |
| 14º | Hulkenberg | Sauber |
| 15º | Ricciardo | Toro Rosso |
| 16º | Pérez | McLaren |
| 17º | Bottas | Williams |
| 18º | Gutierrez | Sauber |
| 19º | Bianchi | Marussia |
| 20º | Chilton | Marussia |
| 21º | Van der Garde | Caterham |
| 22º | Ma | Caterham |