Shanghai, FP3: Vettel leads Ferrari one-two in China

Sebastian Vettel edged team-mate Kimi Räikkonen to head a Ferrari one-two in a busy final practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas was third for Mercedes, almost four tenths of a second adrift of Vettel.

Vettel’s best lap of 1:33.336 came 20 minutes from the end of the session and put him over a second clear of Räikkönen. The Finn then responded with a lap of 1:33.389, just 0.053 behind the German. Ferrari’s supersoft pace set a tough benchmark for Mercedes to beat and when the team’s drivers emerged for their qualifying simulations, neither could rise to the challenge.

Bottas came closest, getting to within four tenths of Vettel’s P1 time. Hamilton might have gone quicker, with the Briton setting the best first sector time of all, but a ragged final sector left him half a second off the pace and in fourth place.

Felipe Massa was fourth fastest, the Williams driver finishing 1.4s behind Vettel. The Brazilian’s late run on supersofts displaced Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen who had risen up the order after spending the early part of the session on longer runs.

Verstappen was backed up by team-mate Daniel Riccirado. The Australian had set the pace early in the session on supersofts but faded as Ferrari and Mercedes vaulted up the order. Ricciardo finished the session with a best time of 1:35.092, more than 1.7s adrift of Vettel.

Lance Stroll confirmed William’s decent form at the Shanghai International Circuit by taking eighth place, though he was almost four tenths of a second slower than team-mate Massa.

Jolyon Palmer gave Renault hope of a decent outcome in qualifying by slotting into P9 with a time of 1:35.192, just under three hundredths of a second clear of Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz.