Chinese GP: Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas dominates second practice

Valtteri Bottas

Championship-leader Valtteri Bottas pushed Sebastian Vettel off the top of the timesheets to end the opening day of practice for the Formula One Chinese GP with the fastest time for Mercedes.

The Finn, who leads teammate Lewis Hamilton by one point in the overall standings and was fifth in the first of yesterday's two 90-minute sessions, lapped the 5.4-kilometer long Shanghai International Circuit in one minute 33.330 seconds. That put him just 0.027 seconds clear of Vettel, who had gone fastest in the morning by a 0.207-second margin.

Max Verstappen was third 0.221 seconds off Bottas' best after having gone fourth-fastest in the first session. His Red Bull team were winners in China last year and have been tipped as strong outside contenders to repeat that feat this weekend.

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