Lewis Hamilton set the best time in the China Grand Prix Free Practice 2, slightly before than Fernando Alonso, who set the second best time. Rosberg, Ricciardo and Vettel complete the TOP 5.
After seeing that Fernando Alonso, who installed a new Power Unit this weekend, excelled unexpectedly during the first session, Lewis Hamilton could not contain and put his Mercedes in front of the second free practise.
However, Alonso was really close. Marco Mattiaci, Ferrari’s new director after Stefano Domenicali’s demission, left the circuit satisfied. His first driver set the best time during the first session and the mechanics solved the electronic issues with Kimi Räikkönen’s car so he could leave the box in half an hour from the start of the session and set the seventh best time, still without feeling confortable with his car.
Who could better solve their problems (this time suspension problems) were Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, who could not leave the box until passed fifteen minutes but then set the fastest lap. Mercedes are using a new front wing that finally past the FIA crash-test, after trying for three times. Nico Rosberg was third.
The environment in Shanghai was cold and cloudy. The teams were testing tyres and we could see how these suffer because of the continuous lock-ups. This session was really important, as tomorrow heavy rain is expected (despite a dry race) and new adjustements will not be tested.
The second star of the day was Pastor Maldonado, who after going continuously off-track crashed his Lotus in the pit-lane entrance, in a resounding mistake.
Daniel Ricciardo, disappointed after losing the appellation for Australian Grand Prix’s disqualify, overcomed Sebastian Vettel. With fourth and fifth, Red Bull drivers will try to input some pressure over the first row.
Williams are demonstrating strength in a circuit that favours them. In the other side, Force India could not put any car in the TOP 10.
We will see how tomorrow’s rainy day develops.
Free Practise 2 results:
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Time/Retired | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:38.315 | 25 | |
| 2 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:38.456 | 0.141 | 28 |
| 3 | 6 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:38.726 | 0.411 | 30 |
| 4 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:38.811 | 0.496 | 30 |
| 5 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 1:39.015 | 0.700 | 31 |
| 6 | 19 | Felipe Massa | Williams-Mercedes | 1:39.118 | 0.803 | 25 |
| 7 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:39.283 | 0.968 | 25 |
| 8 | 22 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:39.491 | 1.176 | 29 |
| 9 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus-Renault | 1:39.537 | 1.222 | 36 |
| 10 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | STR-Renault | 1:39.648 | 1.333 | 26 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India-Mercedes | 1:39.736 | 1.421 | 30 |
| 12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:39.744 | 1.429 | 29 |
| 13 | 25 | Jean-Eric Vergne | STR-Renault | 1:39.759 | 1.444 | 28 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams-Mercedes | 1:39.830 | 1.515 | 25 |
| 15 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Force India-Mercedes | 1:40.124 | 1.809 | 32 |
| 16 | 21 | Esteban Gutierrez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:40.359 | 2.044 | 32 |
| 17 | 99 | Adrian Sutil | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:40.395 | 2.080 | 30 |
| 18 | 13 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus-Renault | 1:40.455 | 2.140 | 12 |
| 19 | 17 | Jules Bianchi | Marussia-Ferrari | 1:42.327 | 4.012 | 27 |
| 20 | 4 | Max Chilton | Marussia-Ferrari | 1:43.473 | 5.158 | 30 |
| 21 | 10 | Kamui Kobayashi | Caterham-Renault | 1:43.530 | 5.215 | 32 |
| 22 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Caterham-Renault | 1:43.679 | 5.364 | 32 |
