Sebastian Vettel has recorded  the fastest time in the opening practice session for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

Vettel's championship quest has got off to the best possible start with wins from pole at the first two rounds in Australia and Malaysia, and today he was once again on the rampage in the Red Bull car.

Vettel and team-mate Mark Webber were first and second fastest as they drove in enveloping smog at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Webber was more than half a second slower than Vettel's time of one minute 38.739 seconds, but the rest of the drivers were way behind time-wise.

Closest was McLaren's Lewis Hamilton with third best time, which was two seconds off Vettel.