Free practice: Vettel leads as opposition close gap

Just as in FP1, Sebastian Vettel finished the afternoon practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix in the lead. The Red Bull driver posted a fastest lap of 01:37.688, shaving approximately one second off his morning time.

Meanwhile, McLaren had been making even greater strides as Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button snapped at the world champion's heels. The two British drivers were now within 0.166 and 0.247 seconds respectively, by contrast with the first session in which they had been more than two seconds adrift.