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SHANGHAI, China - McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was fastest on Saturday in the third and final practice ahead of the 2012 Chinese F1 GP.
Team mate and fellow Briton Jenson Button was right behind him.
Hamilton, whose highest possible grid position for Sunday’s race will be sixth thanks to a penalty incurred for a gearbox change, set the best time of the week when he clocked 1min35.940sec in the last five minutes. The 2008 World champion also posted the quickest time in the first practice on Friday.
WEBBER FIFTH
Button was 0.123sec slower and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, who set the fastest time on Friday, the next quickest.
Mark Webber (Red Bull) was fifth-fastest, more than half a second behind Hamilton, followed by Pastor Maldonado (Williams).
Reigning double World champion Sebastian Vettel was down in ninth, a second off the top time, and championship leader Fernando Alonso could only manage 15th.
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.
Third free practice times ahead of the 2012 Chinese F1 GP
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min35.940
2 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min36.063
3 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min36.389
4 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min36.512
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min36.635
6 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min36.765
7 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min36.781
8 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min36.880
9 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min37.039
10 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min37.061
11 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min37.237
12 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min37.274
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min37.288
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min37.425
15 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min37.465
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min37.493
17 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min37.628
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min37.831
19 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min38.701
20 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min39.198
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min39.796
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min40.048
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min41.263
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min41.499
Times from Friday’s second free practice session for Sunday's 2012 Chinese F1 GP
1 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1min35.973 seconds
2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1min36.145
3 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1min36.160
4 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing 1min36.433
5 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1min36.617
6 Jenson Button McLaren 1min36.711
7 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1min36.956
8 Paul di Resta Force India 1min36.966
9 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1min37.191
10 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1min37.316
11 Sergio Perez Sauber 1min37.417
12 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1min37.616
13 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus 1min37.836
14 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1min37.930
15 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1min37.972
16 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1min38.176
17 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1min38.293
18 Bruno Senna Williams 1min38.783
19 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1min38.990
20 Vitaly Petrov Caterham 1min39.346
21 Timo Glock Marussia 1min39.651
22 Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1min40.343
23 Charles Pic Marussia 1min40.753
24 Narain Karthikeyan HRT 1min41.125
First free practice session results
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min37.106
2 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min38.116
3 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min38.316
4 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1min38.584
5 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1min38.911
6 Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1min38.977
7 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1min39.198
8 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min39.199
9 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min39.748
10 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min39.768
11 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min40.056
12 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min40.153
13 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min40.298
14 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min40.328
15 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min40.540
16 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.071
17 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min41.204
18 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.330
19 Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min42.521
20 Jules Bianchi (France) Force India 1min44.118
21 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.227
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min44.500
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min47.204
24 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min50.465
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.
Team mate and fellow Briton Jenson Button was right behind him.
Hamilton, whose highest possible grid position for Sunday’s race will be sixth thanks to a penalty incurred for a gearbox change, set the best time of the week when he clocked 1min35.940sec in the last five minutes. The 2008 World champion also posted the quickest time in the first practice on Friday.
WEBBER FIFTH
Button was 0.123sec slower and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, who set the fastest time on Friday, the next quickest.
Mark Webber (Red Bull) was fifth-fastest, more than half a second behind Hamilton, followed by Pastor Maldonado (Williams).
Reigning double World champion Sebastian Vettel was down in ninth, a second off the top time, and championship leader Fernando Alonso could only manage 15th.
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.
Third free practice times ahead of the 2012 Chinese F1 GP
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min35.940
2 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min36.063
3 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min36.389
4 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min36.512
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min36.635
6 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min36.765
7 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min36.781
8 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min36.880
9 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min37.039
10 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min37.061
11 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min37.237
12 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min37.274
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min37.288
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min37.425
15 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min37.465
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min37.493
17 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min37.628
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min37.831
19 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min38.701
20 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min39.198
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min39.796
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min40.048
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min41.263
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min41.499
Times from Friday’s second free practice session for Sunday's 2012 Chinese F1 GP
1 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1min35.973 seconds
2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1min36.145
3 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1min36.160
4 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing 1min36.433
5 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1min36.617
6 Jenson Button McLaren 1min36.711
7 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1min36.956
8 Paul di Resta Force India 1min36.966
9 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1min37.191
10 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1min37.316
11 Sergio Perez Sauber 1min37.417
12 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1min37.616
13 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus 1min37.836
14 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1min37.930
15 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1min37.972
16 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1min38.176
17 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1min38.293
18 Bruno Senna Williams 1min38.783
19 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1min38.990
20 Vitaly Petrov Caterham 1min39.346
21 Timo Glock Marussia 1min39.651
22 Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1min40.343
23 Charles Pic Marussia 1min40.753
24 Narain Karthikeyan HRT 1min41.125
First free practice session results
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min37.106
2 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min38.116
3 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min38.316
4 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1min38.584
5 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1min38.911
6 Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1min38.977
7 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1min39.198
8 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min39.199
9 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min39.748
10 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min39.768
11 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min40.056
12 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min40.153
13 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 1min40.298
14 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min40.328
15 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min40.540
16 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min41.071
17 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min41.204
18 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min42.330
19 Giedo van der Garde (Netherlands) Caterham 1min42.521
20 Jules Bianchi (France) Force India 1min44.118
21 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min44.227
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min44.500
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min47.204
24 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min50.465
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.