Apr.18 (GMM) Technical problems reared their ugly heads for formula one teams drivers as the final practice session before qualifying took place on a warmer day in Shanghai
Toyota’s Timo Glock did only 6 laps due to a gearbox problem, and team mechanics got to work on changing the unit even before the hour-long session had ended
The unscheduled change will result in a five place grid penalty for the German
Fernando Alonso gave Glock company at the bottom of the timesheets, after also spending most of the session in the pits
The Spaniard’s Renault was fitted with an interim ‘double diffuser’ for the first time on Saturday, and it is believed the problem related to the new device
The two Red Bulls did a combined 15 laps, Christian Horner confirming that Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel had identical driveshaft problems
The team boss said the race gearboxes were unaffected
F1’s KERS clan, meanwhile, has continued to dwindle, with only three cars now expected to use the energy recovery technology in Sunday’s Chinese grand prix
Robert Kubica’s BMW device was as predicted extracted from his F1.09 overnight, and Renault decided to emulate Fernando Alonso’s decision about the technology by also removing it from the sister car driven by Nelson Piquet
Nico Rosberg headed the third and final practice in Shanghai, after committing the Lewis Hamilton-style mistake of running into the gravel early in the session
Hamilton was third fastest, behind Jarno Trulli but ahead of Jenson Button’s Brawn
