Shanghai, 19 April

Last year, Fernando Alonso won the Chinese Grand Prix from third on the grid on a hot and sunny day in Shanghai. Can the Ferrari man aim for the podium this Sunday, starting two places further back in fifth? Well, it’s certainly a possibility as, after today’s very cold and wet qualifying, tomorrow is meant to be cool but dry, conditions which should better suit what is a slightly improved F14 T. Although there is still a 50% chance of rain which is why, like several other teams, the Scuderia did very little running in this morning’s final hour of free practice, saving rain tyres just in case.
Even Kimi Raikkonen felt the car was better, although the Finn who missed all of yesterday morning’s practice session with a technical problem, struggled in the wet conditions this afternoon, just failing to make the cut into Q3 and therefore starts from 11th place on Row 6. In the wet, the gaps were significant, with Fernando half a second slower in Q3 than fourth placed Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes, but Friday’s dry running points to a slightly closer contest tomorrow.
Out in front of everyone, Lewis Hamilton took pole for the third time this year and the 34th of his career. Splitting the two Mercedes are the two Red Bulls and for the third time out of four, newcomer Daniel Ricciardo has beaten his world champion team-mate, Sebastian Vettel. Sharing the third row with Fernando tomorrow will be his former team-mate, Felipe Massa in the Williams. Kimi has another world champion alongside him, as Jenson Button was twelfth for McLaren.
Much as Formula 1 has changed this year, an attacking start is still the most effective way of ensuring you have a good race and after that, the two Prancing Horse drivers will be seeking any advantage they can, be it strategic or opportunist. When it comes to pit stops, the two choices are a three stop, most likely if a cold day prompts heavy graining on the tyres, or a two stop for those cars that are kind on their rubber.