After topping the morning timesheets, Lewis Hamilton’s 2009 form reverted to more familiar territory as the second 90 minutes of free practice was run on Friday afternoo.
The reigning world champion – although quicker than his top morning time – slipped to thirteenth place, a couple of tenths off the pace of his McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen, and more than a second away from Jenson Button’s best.
The other grandee teams, however, were faring no better: both Ferraris were outside the top eleven, the Renaults outside the top fifteenth, and the BMWs languishing among the backmarkers.
BMW-Sauber’s Robert Kubica has been using KERS for the first time this season in Shanghai practice, but reports that Alonso’s Renault may already be fitted with a ‘double diffuser’ may have been premature.
At the other end of the timesheets, Williams’ Nico Rosberg seemed to have recaptured his Australia-Malaysia practice form by only narrowly missing the top time, while the Red Bulls and Toyotas also look quick.
It hovered around a mild 20 degrees in China on Friday, with light showers scheduled for Sunday
