By CHRIS LINES
AP Auto Racing Writer
SHANGHAI − Red Bull driver Mark Webber set the fastest time in Saturday's pre-qualifying practice at the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, putting his team on course for a fourth straight pole position to start the season.
McLaren had dominated Friday's practice sessions and the early part of Saturday's hour-long session, but Webber changed that with a late flying lap on the softer tire, recording a time that was a quarter of a second quicker than McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.
Their respective teammates Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button were third and fourth fastest, indicating they would be the quartet most likely to fight for pole.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was fifth on the timesheets, ahead of the Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. Championship leader Felipe Massa of Ferrari was baulked on a late flying lap and ended ninth quickest, behind Renault's Robert Kubica.
The session was briefly red flagged when Renault's Vitaly Petrov lost control entering the pit straight and crashed into a tire barrier, but the Russian was uninjured.
Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and Sauber were among the teams experimenting in practice with an F-duct aerodynamic device which delivers greater speed on the straights a device pioneered to good effect by McLaren this season. Williams abandoned it midway through Saturday's session, however, unhappy with the results.
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