My Chinese Grand Prix predictions

Jenson Button was first in second practice in Shanghai and second in first practice - and that is a potential tongue-twister - and I'm backing him to claim a third straight victory.

The Englishman was second in the first Chinese GP in 2004 and has been in the points here in all but one race. Having said that, Brawn are doing so well that past records almost don't matter.

Here's my top eight finishers:

1. Jenson Button (Brawn Grand Prix)
2. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
3. Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brawn Grand Prix)
5. Mark Webber (Red Bull)
6. Nico Rosberg (Williams)
7. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
8. Fernando Alonso (Renault)

Taking the fight to Brawn are Red Bull.

Sebastian Vettel was fifth in second practice and 12th in the first session and the German is very much on the case.

He was running on both low and high fuel loads during practice but looked consistently strong.

Toyota trail Brawn GP by eight-and-a-half points in the constructors' championship and I expect them to deliver a strong performance again in China.

Jarno Trulli has a shocking record here - he's not won a single point - but this could be the year to put that record to bed.

He is racing to raise awareness for the Italian earthquake tragedy and that will surely inspire him.

Trulli, who hails from the Abruzzo region of Italy, has drawn on similar emotional inspirations in the past and I think he will react strongly in China this weekend.

I have chosen Rubens Barrichello to claim fourth behind the podium performers.

I've nothing against Barrichello but his Brawn GP team-mate Button is absolutely flying at the minute so I expect him to continue to out-shine the Brazilian.

There's no doubt that Barrichello, the oldest man on the grid, is happy right now but he does not seem to be as at one with the Brawn car as Button clearly is.

Mark Webber is Red Bull's second contender and I expect him to be right in the mix.

The Australian was sixth last time out in Malaysia while Vettel crashed out as the heavy rain flooded the track.

Red Bull were very frustrated by the weather in Sepang and felt they should have seen at least one of their drivers on the podium, so they will be out to make amends in China.

Nico Rosberg has collected points in both races this season and will be looking to capitalise on the promise of the Williams in China.

The team were also hugely frustrated in Sepang. Rosberg leapt into the lead from fourth on the grid but still only came away with half a point because the race was red-flagged.

Overall, Williams desperately need to make hay while they still have a pace advantage thanks to their split-level diffuser.

Is there a glimmer of hope for world champion Lewis Hamilton?

Well, his McLaren is running with a new floor and a new front wing in Shanghai and he was fastest in first practice.

Hamilton has been on pole here for the last two seasons and was the dominant force on his way to victory in Shanghai last year.

Of course, his car is nowhere near as good as McLaren's 2008 model - but the team could be that much closer to finding an answer to their problems on the track.

Finally, I've picked the battling Fernando Alonso to snatch the final point in China.

The Spaniard has been in the top four in all five Chinese Grands Prix, which is a fantastic record.

Renault have a new diffuser to come this weekend and Alonso is best-placed to squeeze out an immediate effect.

The Ferraris are really up against it and I don't see an end to their troubles on the horizon in China.

The BMWs, who have now experimenting with running the kinetic energy recovery system (Kers) in both Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld's cars, don't seem to be finding any extra pace so this weekend could also give them little return.