2. G Fisichella (Renault) - 1:34.401

3. K Raikkonen (McLaren) - 1:34.488

4. J Button (BAR) - 1:34.801

5. JP Montoya (McLaren) - 1:35.188

6. M Schumacher (Ferrari) - 1:35.301

7. D Coulthard (Red Bull) - 1:35.428

8. R Barrichello (Ferrari) - 1:35.610

9. R Schumacher (Toyota) - 1:35.723

10. M Webber (Williams) - 1:35.739

11. F Massa (Sauber) - 1:35.898

12. J Trulli (Toyota) - 1:36.044

13. A Pizzonia (Willliams) - 1:36.445

14. C Klien (Red Bull) - 1:36.472

15. N Karthikeyan (Jordan) - 1:36.707

16. J Villeneuve (Sauber) - 1:36.788

17. T Sato (BAR) - 1:37.083

18. C Albers (Minardi) - 1:39.105

19. T Monteiro (Jordan) - 1:39.233

20. R Doornbos (Minardi) - 1:39.460

0653: Kimi Raikkonen endures a tough time in the McLaren as he runs wide on the first corner, makes a mistake on turn three and locks into the hairpin. The Finn, chasing the constructors title for McLaren, can only claim third spot in 1:34.488.

0651: Giancarlo Fisichella keeps up the Renault's charge for the constructors championship as he moves up into second place with a decent time of 1:34.401.

0648: A neat and tidy lap from world champion Fernando Alonso sees him move up to provisional pole in 1:34.080. The Renault looks visibly faster than any of the other cars in qualifying session.

0647: Mark Webber locks up at the hairpin and the Williams drivers comes home in an average time of 1:35.739.

0645: Jenson Button, who has been suffering from a stomach upset in Shanghai, leads out the final quintet of drivers. The BAR man delivers a determined lap, clocking 1:34.801 to grab provisional pole.

0639: Scot David Coulthard delivers a impressive lap in Shanghai in the second Red Bull as he leaps up to provisional third with 1:35.428 to split the two Ferraris.

0637: Brother Michael Schumacher is back to his aggressive self as he produces a scruffy but pacey lap for Ferrari. He takes a bump on the first lap but sets an impressive 1:35.301 to move up to second.

0635: Ralf Schumacher complains of a lack of grip after setting a decent lap time of 1:35.723 for Toyota.

0633: Christian Klien locks up twice on his qualifying laps and endures a difficult time, setting a disappointing time of 1:36.472 for Red Bull.

0627: Felipe Massa gets the second group of racers under way in Shanghai and the second Sauber driver sets 1:35.898 and is rewarded with provisional third spot.

0625: Rubens Barrichello has a slight problem with the first turn but comes home hard for Ferrari and the Brazilian moves into provisional second place with 1:35.610.

0623: There are more complaints of a slippy track from Karthikeyan back in the pits - and there is more evidence on the track as Sauber's Jacques Villeneuve has a difficult time, clocking 1:36.788.

0621: Jordan's Tiago Monteiro is not as quick as his team-mate Karthikeyan as he struggles for grip around the hairpin and sets a time of 1:39.233.

0618: Robert Doornbos is the second Dutchman out on the track in China but he loses a lot of time on the final sector and props up the timings with 1:39.460.

0616: India's Narain Karthikeyan will want to end his first season in Formula One in decent form for the Jordan team. He completes a tidy lap and moves up the standings with a time of 1:36.707.

0613: Montoya returns to the pits and reveals the Shanghai track is very slippy. Minardi's Christijan Albers certainly appears to be struggling for grip and records 1:39.105.

0610: Antonio Pizzonia is first out for Williams and records a lap time of 1:36.445.

0605: Toyota's Jarno Trulli posts a decent time of 1:36.044 in China to move up into second place for the time being.

0605: Juan Pablo Montoya gets the first McLaren out on track but does not have a smooth lap and comes home in 1:35.

0602: BAR's Takuma Sato gets qualifying under way in China. He sets an average time of one minute, 37.083 seconds.

0545 (all times BST): McLaren sent out a strong warning to rivals Renault in free practice, posting the fastest time and having all three cars in the top six.

If McLaren are to win the constructors title for the first time since 1998 they must win two more points than Renault in Shanghai.

Things are looking good for McLaren ahead of qualifying as Kimi Raikkonen was the fastest race driver in practice.

Renault's newly-crowned world champion Fernando Alonso was fourth while Giancarlo Fisichella was seventh.