Hard Bridgestone compound gives nice consistency

Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) set the marker on the opening day of running for the Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix by using Bridgestone's hard compound Potenza tyre to set Friday's fastest lap time at the 5.45km Shanghai International Circuit for the seventeenth and penultimate round of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Hamilton set his time - a 1min 35.630secs - in the morning 90 minute practice session. Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari) was second fastest with a time almost four tenths slower than Hamilton's. Raikkonen was third fastest.

In the afternoon Hamilton was also fastest, with a time of 1min 35.750secs, also set on the hard compound. He was over two tenths faster than the next driver, Fernando Alonso (ING Renault F1 Team), who used the medium tyre for his best time. Alonso's team-mate, Nelson Piquet, went third fastest in this session.

Lap times were quick today at Shanghai. In the morning practice session the fastest lap time was almost 1.4 seconds faster than the Friday morning fastest from 2007, whilst Hamilton's afternoon time was over eight tenths faster than the fastest Friday time last year, a 1min 36.607secs, set by Raikkonen on the medium compound in the afternoon session.

Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development, said:
"Today the circuit provided reasonable grip and the GP2 Asia Series test which took place here last week has meant the circuit is cleaner than we would usually see on a Friday, with more rubber on the surface. The hard compound gave nice consistency today, however some drivers felt there was a lack of grip. We do not know why they feel like this as the lap times are much quicker than last year's.
With the medium compound particularly there was a general tendency to increasing understeer, however teams will now have sufficient data to make changes to set-up for tomorrow's sessions. The graining we usually see here was better than expected on the first day."

Stats of the Day 
Total amount of laps completed by all drivers: 1202 laps
Average number of laps per driver: 60 laps
Most laps by a driver: 68 - Piquet
Fastest lap: 1min  35.630secs -  (FP1)
Compounds used: Hard / Medium

Qualifying in 2007
Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) qualified on 
pole after setting a lap time of 1min 35.908secs on the 
medium compound. Kimi Raikkonen (Scuderia Ferrari) 
qualified second with a time of 1min 36.044secs whilst 
Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro) qualified third.

Temperatures    Ambient   Track        Weather
AM - Practice   24C-28C   25C-31C      Cloudy / Sunny
PM - Practice   26C-25C   29C-31C-28C  Cloudy / Sunny