Lewis Hamilton fended off Kimi Raikkonen to claim the bragging rights over his rivals in both free practice sessions for the Chinese Grand Prix yesterday but the Finn’s Ferrari showed enough pace to worry Mercedes.

Hamilton, who edged out team-mate Nico Rosberg in the opening session, lapped the 5.451-km Shanghai Circuit in one minute, 37.219 seconds in latter 90-minute run to shade Raikkonen by just four-tenths of a second.

“Generally the car was feeling good and it was nice to get the running and the preparations. Hopefully that will stand me in good stead,” Hamilton said.

“The Ferraris look like they were as quick as they were in Malaysia, but hopefully we’re quicker.”

Daniel Ricciardo was a surprise third fastest in his Red Bull, the Australian leaping up the order late in the session after sitting out the opening 45 minutes as the team struggled to cool their brakes.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who won the Malaysian Grand Prix a fortnight ago, was fourth after surviving an early spin, edging out compatriot Rosberg, who made a mistake at the end of his fastest flying lap and could only manage fifth.

“On one lap, I think we’ll be quickest and race pace we need to review now if we are looking okay or not,” said Rosberg, who almost collided with Raikkonen late in the session as both cars jockeyed for position.

In the morning session, Mercedes had appeared to have regained their dominant stride in the cooler Chinese weather after being dealt a shock defeat by Ferrari in Malaysia.

Hamilton was then more than a second faster than Vettel and Raikkonen but the Finn closed the gap in the second session when he fitted the quicker soft-compound tyres, finding more time than the Briton on the grippier rubber.

There was a moment of drama early in the afternoon when a spectator darted across the start-finish straight as cars were speeding down it, crossing over safely into the pitlane before being apprehended by track officials.

Television images showed the man dashing across the track, after one car had passed and as another approached at around 260kph, before vaulting the pit wall.

Reports, corroborated by official sources at the circuit, reported he had been waving a grandstand ticket and was heading for the Ferrari garage.

He had explained, in Chinese, that he wanted to drive a car.