Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

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Lewis Hamilton said he and Mercedes had expected to have their hands full with Ferrari in Australia and he paid tribute to them for “beating us fair and square”. 

But vengeance is definitely on the agenda at a Chinese Grand Prix that many drivers and teams expect to be wet to at least some degree. 

“We want to win and we have a really fight on our hands so it makes you want to work even more,” Hamilton said. 

"It was painful and then you use that as positive energy for training, focus for the next race. some of it is negative but you turn it into a positive.”

Hello! Welcome along to our coverage of first practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Are Mercedes in for a battle this weekend after Sebastian Vettel won in Australia?

Tough to tell from one race but if Ferrari can keep up their early promise in Shanghai then Lewis Hamilton may well find he has quite the fight on his hands this season.

The Briton will no doubt have been desperate to get straight back behind the wheel to get his season up and running, and he'll be doing just that in a touch under 20 minutes when first practice gets under way.

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Yes, for Fernando Alonso, even running towards the back of the field is preferable to a Sunday at the shops.

"I prefer to be here than in a supermarket in my home town," he said.

"Everyone [acts like they are] close to me and it's like I have a depression, and it's not like that. I am more prepared than ever."

Despite a torrid time in testing and a retirement in the season-opener in Australian, Alonso insists he heads into this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix as hungry as ever.

But will his stomach still be rumbling come Sunday night?

Fernando Alonso doesn't like this...

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... Fernando Alonso still likes this...

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... even if it means being behind all these...

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