The stewards decision not to punish Lewis Hamilton for his part in last week's incident in Japan, somewhat takes the pressure off Lewis Hamilton, while placing it back on Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, if they are to mount any sort of credible challenge to his World Championship dream this weekend.

Ahead of today's sole practice session, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 44 degrees. It is bright and sunny.

The lights go green and within seconds twenty cars are on track, only the Ferrari duo remaining in their garages.

Having completed the obligatory installation lap the twenty drivers return to their garages. However, around five minutes later Sutil, Yamamoto, Trulli and Schumacher re-emerge.

When all four have completed their first flying laps of the day, it is Schumacher who tops the timesheets, having lapped the Shanghai track in 1:37.948.

Button, Vettel, Liuzzi and Davidson come out to play (again), and it is Vettel who has the first spin of the day.

Fifteen minutes into the session, as Trulli goes quickest, ahead of Kubica and Liuzzi, Raikkonen heads down the pitlane.

As Schumacher takes the top spot (37.587), Raikkonen is immediately on the pace, going quickest in the second sector and finally crossing the line at 36.880.

Fernando Alonso posts 36.813 and Hamilton 37.192 as Raikkonen improves with a 36.369, to retain the top spot.

Twenty minutes into the session, Massa's first lap sees the Brazilian go eighteenth with a 39.202. Next time around the Ferrari driver posts a far more respectable 36.847 to go third.

Behind the 'big four', it's Schumacher, Trulli, Rosberg and Wurz, with only Webber having failed to post a time thus far. That said, the Australian promptly goes fourteenth with a 38.347.

Bang on 'half-time', Massa goes second with a 36.567, third is Alonso, followed by Hamilton, Schumacher, Trulli, Rosberg, Kubica, Kovalainen and Wurz. At the wrong end of the timesheets, at this time, are; Fisichella, Heidfeld and the Honda drivers.

They appear to be running a new graphic - at least we haven't see it before. It shows the tyre temperature, and moves between blue (cold) through to green to red (hot). And very silly it is too. It's currently related to Fernando Alonso's tyres - perhaps they'd be better off with a graphic indicating his attitude towards his team and teammate. Just a thought.

Coulthard talks of a mapping problem, "so I need to go quicker?", he asks of his crew. Doh!

While Hamilton improves to third, Alonso takes the top spot with a 36.126. However, Raikkonen is back on track, and looking set to improve, while Hamilton is also on a hot lap.

The Englishman goes second, but is instantly demoted as the Finn re-takes the top spot by 0.026s.

A big, big spin from Yamamoto, as Kovalainen goes sixth, ahead of Webber and Rosberg.

With nine minutes remaining, there are just three drivers on track, while the rest prepare for the final assault. It's worth bearing in mind that according to the latest reports there is 70 percent chance of rain tomorrow, and when we say rain we mean heavy rain.

Raikkonen goes quickest in sector one, the Finn looking ultra determined this weekend, following his sensational performance in Japan. It's close, but there's no improvement. Moments later, the Ferrari driver appears to have a problem, he's crawling around the Shanghai track, much to the chagrin of Jean Todt on the pit-wall. Indeed, the World Championship hopeful stops in the second sector, with what appeared to be smoke coming from the back of his car.

As Massa goes quickest in the second sector, Raikkonen gets going again.

The session ends with Raikkonen still topping the timesheets, ahead of Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Schumacher, Coulthard, Kubica, Kovalainen, Heidfeld and Webber.