Hamilton sets pace at Chinese GP practice despite 'understeer' issues

Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton has recovered from a suspension issue that cut short his first session during Friday's practice run at the Chinese Grand Prix to beat Ferrari's Fernando Alonso by 0.141 seconds.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was third, 0.411 seconds behind his teammate, who set the pace at the Shanghai International Circuit despite his complaints about understeer - a lack of front grip - when he finally made it out on to the track about 20 minutes into the second session.

According to the BBC, Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel were next, ahead of Williams' Felipe Massa, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren's Jenson Button and the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, while Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat was 10th, from Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Button's teammate Kevin Magnussen.

The report mentioned that Ferrari appeared to be in better shape in Shanghai as Alonso was fastest in the first session and split the Mercedes when the teams were doing their qualifying-style low-fuel runs in the middle of the second session.

Raikkonen missed the first session with unspecified car problems and was 0.827 seconds slower than Alonso in the second, the report added.