BBC Sportmotorsport

Final grid positions in Shanghai:

1. Hamilton (McLaren)

2. Raikkonen (Ferrari)

3. Massa (Ferrari)

4. Alonso (Renault)

5. Kovalainen (McLaren)

6. Webber (Red Bull) *

* demoted 10 places on the grid for engine change.

To get involved text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Sarah Holt

0807: So in a repeat of last weekend's race in Japan, Hamilton lines up in pole position with Raikkonen alongside him on the front row. After a shaky start in Fuji, Hamilton will be wary of Raikkonen in Shanghai. All the ingredients are in place - again - for an exciting race. Join me at 7am tomorrow.

0805: "That was a really, really important pole for Hamilton. Raikkonen took the Ferrari to the edge as only he can and Hamilton won't get too over-excited; he's done his job and he'll be pleased with that."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

0802: LEWIS HAMILTON TAKES POLE FOR THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

0801: Massacrosses the line in third place, ending his hopes of snatching pole from his rival Hamilton. Has he been fuelled heavier for the race? Kovalainen is the last man who can challenge his team-mate Hamilton but he crosses the line in fifth place.

0800: Raikkonen jumps to the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:35.645 but he is quickly overhauled by Hamilton, who takes provisional pole.

0759: Raikkonen is slower in the first section but Hamilton is quicker through the first part of the track; but the Ferrari man increases the pace. Massa and Kovalainen are close behind.

0757: The main contenders are out on their final flying laps in China. Have Hamilton and Massa left it too late or will their strategies come good when it counts? We await...

0756: Kovalainen pops up to take provisional pole. Has he been fuelled lighter than his team-mate Hamilton? Meanwhile, the Englishman is told by his team he is losing time in the middle and final sectors of the track.

0753: Raikkonen sets the benchmark for Ferrari with 1: 36.989. Hamilton runs over the curb on the last corner and can only manage second fastest. Massa follows with the third fastest times.

0753: Kubica faces the media in front of the BMW Sauber garage and says he's been struggling with the balance of his car all weekend and that it was even worse in qualifying. He can only take the questions for so long then and rapidly retreats. Meanwhile, Hamilton is the fastest man on the track right now.

0751: Vettel is the first man out for Toro Rosso in the final 10 minute qualifying session in Shanghai. He is venturing out on the hard tyres. Raikkonen soon follows him on the softer options while Hamilton also emerges on the softs.

0750: "The message to Ferrari there from Hamilton is 'take that' and the battle is set for qualifying three."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton.

0746: Also going out in the second session are Rosberg (Williams), Barrichello (Honda), Glock (Toyota) and Piquet (Renault).

0745: Mixed fortunes for the title contenders in the final dash for the line. Hamilton pops up to the top of the timesheets with a flying lap of 1:34.947 and becomes the first man to dip into the 1:34s this weekend. But Kubica is down in 12th and that's his qualifying over. It's also pretty bad news for the Pole's world title hopes. He is 12 points behind leader Hamilton with two races left.

0739: The cars are emerging from the pits again for the final push for the third period of qualifying. Five cars will be eliminated and at this stage those in the drop zone are Rosberg, Barrichello, Piquet, Glock and Kubica. The top four drivers - Massa, Kovalainen, Raikkonen and Vettel - will not come out again for another run but Hamilton will.

0737: Kubica's troubles continue as his first lap sees him set the 10th fastest time. He will really have to go some to get into the top 10 shootout. Meanwhile, Hamilton's team radio tells him he has to go out again on the softer tyres.

0735: Hamilton crosses the line soon after his chief rival but he runs wide on the final corner and that eats into his time. He slots into fifth place in 1:35.402.

0734: Massa makes the most of his set of softer tyres and goes to the top of the timesheets with a flying lap of 1:35.135.

0730: Raikkonen is the first man out in the second session. He's testing his luck on the softer tyres. BBC 5 Live's pit-lane reporter Holly Samos says she's noticed that Ferrari have shaken up their qualifying routine as Raikkonen is coming out early, they're trying out different tyres and both drivers are spending a lot longer on the track. Her colleague Maurice Hamilton says ominously; "All the signs here are that Ferrari are struggling a bit".

0729: "Hamilton needs a strong Kovalainen to take off some of the pressure. It's about time for the McLaren number two to step up to the plate."
Ian on a train to London via text on 81111

0724: So those not going through to the next round are Force India's usual suspects Fisichella and Sutil, Honda's Button, Williams' Nakajima and Red Bull's Coulthard. The Scot is driving in his penultimate race and he could about to deliver some bad news for Kubica as he comes on the Red Bull radio to say he wants the stewards to take a look at the first qualifying period; the suggestion is that the BMW Sauber may have cut up Coulthard in his final flying lap.

0722: Kubica gets through to the second session of qualifying by the skin of his teeth. He is down in 14th and if he wants to keep his title challenge alive, his team will have to find some extra pace fast if he's going to make the top-10 shootout.

"He will not be happy at all because he's half a second away from Heidfeld, who's in 10th place. It looked like desperation, he was driving the wheels off the thing."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

0721: Kubica sets a personal best through the last two sectors and pulls himself up to 13th, is that good enough for him to make it through?

0719: Desperate times for Kubica then as his team work furiously away in the BMW Sauber to solve his problems. Meanwhile, out on the track, title rival Massa is out trying to improve his time but he doesn't manage to eke out any extra pace and moves down to third.

0715: Ah-ha, Kubica's gloomy drawl comes on the BMW Sauber radio to explain the problems he's having. He says: "There's understeer when I brake and the car doesn't turn at all."

0713: Around and about seven minutes left to go in the first qualifying session and here are the drivers who are facing the chop; Force India duo Fisichella and Sutil, Toyota's Glock, Honda's Button and championship contender Kubica - you have to think he won't stay there for long.

0710: Hamilton takes a half second chunk out of Massa's benchmark time, setting a new fastest mark of 1:35.566.

0707: Massa goes out on the hard tyres and gets enough out of them to move to the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:36.089. Hamilton is on the charge in his first flying lap and won't be far behind him though.

0705: First big gun out of the garages is... Felipe Massa.

0704: Piquet sets the benchmark for Renault with a time of one minute 37.511 seconds.

0701: Mr Reliable, Nelson Piquet, is the first man to trundle out of the pits at the Shanghai International Circuit. The weather, by the way, is now sunny with track temperatures up at 36C.

0700: "I'm absolutely certain that Ferrari will want to get Raikkonen up at the front too to unsettle Hamilton as he did in Fuji."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

0658: Bad news just in for the Australian. He's had to change the Renault engine in his Red Bull and that means he comes into qualifying with a 10-place grid penalty.

0651: Mark Webber's also got himself into a spot of bother. His engine blew at the end of the long main straight 45 minutes into the session and he faces a race against time to get his Red Bull in shape for qualifying.

0649: By the way there was a little wobble for Hamilton during the final warm-up in Shanghai. His race was ruined in 2007 after he slid into the pit-lane gravel trap and he seemed to be having problems finding the right line again. During final practice, the 23-year-old missed the apex at the pit-lane bend and had to use the exit lane.

0642: If you are looking for some clues from final practice here's what you need to know. Hamilton was the quickest of the three main championship contenders; finishing 0.07 seconds behind practice pacesetter Nick Heidfeld. The German's BMW Sauber team-mate Robert Kubica was fourth with Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who looked heavy on fuel, 11th on the timesheets.

0637: The 606 message boards are having a lie-in until 9am but you can still text me your thoughts on 81111 (UK users only). The chat after Friday practice seemed to suggest there's still all to play for in China.

"I can see Ferrari and Massa will go light to for pole unless it rains I am expecting them two to be on the front row unless Massa can't get heat into the tyres if the weather is cold."
Il_Leone on 606

0630: Hello again. It may still be dark outside but the light at the end of the tunnel is almost in sight for Lewis Hamilton - if only he doesn't derail his rollercoaster season.

He arrives in China with a five-point lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa in the drivers' championship and those clever maths people have worked out the Englishman could win the title this weekend.

But after a run of penalties, spins, pit-stop errors, crashes and Fernando Alonso's back-to-back wins we could well be in for another Shanghai surprise.

Tighten your grip because qualifying is just half an hour away.