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2016 Chinese GP: Ferrari sets pace ahead of Merc

Shanghai - Ferrari showed it has the speed to challenge Mercedes ahead of the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix, as Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel set the two fastest times in Friday's practice sessions.

Raikkonen had the quickest lap time of the day at 1min36.896, a tenth of a second ahead of his team mate Vettel.

The Mercedes cars were behind the Ferrari pair, with Nico Rosberg third and Lewis Hamilton fourth, both within half a second of Raikkonen's time.

Alonso recovers

Ferrari had shown in the opening two races it had the race pace, if not the qualifying speed, to challenge Mercedes, but had suffered engine failures in both races.

McLaren's Fernando Alonso returned to the track for the first time since his spectacular crash at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, setting the 11th-fastest time.

Shanghai, April 15, 2016 (AFP) -Free practice times on Friday ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai:

Practice 2

1. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:36.896 
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1:37.005, 
3. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes-AMG 1:37.133, 
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes-AMG 1:37.329 
5. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 1:38.143 
6. Max Verstappen (NED) Toro Rosso 1:38.268 
7. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 1:38.527 
8. Carlos Sainz (ESP) Toro Rosso 1:38.542 
9. Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 1:38.569 
10. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:38.723 
11. Fernando Alonso (ESP) McLaren-Honda 1:38.728 
12. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren-Honda 1:38.828 
13. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Red Bull 1:39.178 
14. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 1:39.214, 
15. Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault 1:39.774, 
16. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Haas 1:39.890, 
17. Pascal Wehrlein (GER) Manor 1:39.941, 
18. Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Sauber 1:39.979, 
19. Rio Haryanto (INA) Manor 1:40.550, 
20. Felipe Nasr (BRA) Sauber 1:41.066, 
21. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Haas 1:42.954, 
22. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Renault

First practice

1. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes-AMG 1:38.037, 
2. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes-AMG 1:38.183, 
3. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari 1:38.665, 
4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 1:39.061, 
5. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:39.155, 
6. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Red Bull 1:39.625, 
7. Carlos Sainz (ESP) Toro Rosso 1:39.676, 
8. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren-Honda 1:39.974, 
9. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 1:40.169, 
10. Max Verstappen (NED) Toro Rosso 1:40.232, 
11. Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 1:40.347, 
12. Fernando Alonso (ESP) McLaren-Honda 1:40.538, 
13. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1:40.828, 
14. Romain Grosjean (FRA) Haas 1:41.358, 
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Sauber 1:41.393, 
16. Rio Haryanto (INA) Manor 1:41.614, 
17. Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault 1:41.816, 
18. Pascal Wehrlein (GER) Manor 1:42.908, 
19. Felipe Nasr (BRA) Sauber 1:42.980, 
20. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Haas, 
21. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Renault, 
22. Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams

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