Chinese Grand Prix second practice & debate

Summary

Final practice & qualifying Saturday from 03:30 BST
Hamilton fastest - Mercedes & Ferrari all within one tenth of a second
Vandoorne stops with loose wheel, Stroll and Grosjean spin
Hamilton fastest in first practice
Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

Postpublished at 06:56 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Grey and overcast but looks like the rain should stay away.
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Postpublished at 06:55 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
These are the tyre compounds available in Shanghai. All three were used in first practice, with Lewis Hamilton setting his time on the softs. Kimi Raikkonen, who was second quickest, was on ultras.
Image source, F1.com
Postpublished at 06:47 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
If you haven't downloaded it yet, the BBC Radio 5 live podcast is well worth listening to.
Click on the link below to download it.
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Postpublished at 06:45 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
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Get involved #bbcf1published at 06:42 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Bob McFeil: Nice work Lewis! Keep this up and grab that pole tomorrow. Really hope McLaren get their act together quickly...
Image source, EPA
Postpublished at 06:40 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Hands up who else did a Nico Hulkenberg and had a cheeky nap between sessions.
*raises hand*
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Listen to second practice commentarypublished at 06:38 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
As ever, you can listen to live commentary on second practice.
In the comms box today is Alex Jacques along with former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer. Regular commentator Jack Nicholls will be back behind the mic on Sunday.
Listen on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online from 06:55 BST.
First practice timespublished at 06:36 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Image source, F1.com
First practice recappublished at 06:34 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Image source, Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton dominated first practice at the Chinese Grand Prix as he seeks to bounce back from losing the first two races of the season.
Despite a spin in Turn 10, it was the best possible start to the weekend for Hamilton, who was in scintillating form on a track he has often excelled.
The world champion ended the session 0.359 seconds quicker than Kimi Raikkonen, despite using harder tyres.
Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third, 0.458secs off the Briton.
Hamilton was the quickest man every time he hit the track, from his first flying lap, which was more than a second quicker than anyone else at the time.
Back on itpublished at 06:30 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Image source, Getty Images
Hello!
Just joining us/waking up? Then you missed Lewis Hamilton smashing first practice for the Chinese Grand Prix out of the park.
The reigning world champion was absolutely on it as he topped the timesheet, going three tenths quicker than Kimi Raikkonen on the harder, and therefore slower, tyre.
Will he keep up his dominant form in second practice? We'll find out soon enough.
Postpublished at 04:37 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
So far, so good for Lewis Hamilton as he blitzes first practice, finishing three tenths quicker than Kimi Raikkonen on the harder tyre compound as well.
Will his dominance continue in second practice? Join us again for coverage of that from 06:30 BST, with the session getting under way at 07:00.
I'll leave you with Andrew Benson's take on first practice and see you in a few hours!
Image source, Getty Images
FP1 the restpublished at 04:35 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Image source, F1.com
FP1 top 10published at 04:32 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Image source, F1.com
Postpublished at 04:32 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
It has been remarkably easy for Lewis Hamilton. He needs to respond and he has been doing it the perfect way here. Hamilton has been crisp and smooth. So far, the perfect job.
Chequered flagpublished at 04:30 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Lewis Hamilton finishes quickest in first practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Image source, EPA
Postpublished at 04:29 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Into the final two minutes of the session with everyone apart from Marcus Ericsson out on the track.
Get involved #bbcf1published at 04:28 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Rachel T: Yes Lewis - worth waking up at silly o'clock to see! Keep it up
Postpublished at 04:25 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Another run on the ultrasofts for Sebastian Vettel. He's currently sixth quickest.
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Postpublished at 04:22 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Into the final 10 minutes of the session as Max Verstappen is told he has six timed laps to the chequered flag.
Postpublished at 04:19 British Summer Time 13 April 2018
Another personal best from Kimi Raikkonen as he does a 1:34.358 to move into P2 and split the Mercedes. He's now within three tenths of Lewis Hamilton's time.
Image source, Getty Images