KEY POINTS:
Mclaren have settled on the man they want to partner Lewis Hamilton next season - Nico Rosberg, 22-year-old son of 1982 world champion Keke.
With Hamilton's current team-mate Fernando Alonso set to leave, almost certainly for Renault subject to contractual settlement, it is understood Williams' golden boy Rosberg is McLaren boss Ron Dennis' top choice.
He fits the bill: his German nationality makes him the perfect replacement for McLaren's engine suppliers Mercedes. Nicknamed 'Britney' by fellow drivers, he is also highly marketable.
The one obstacle could be Nico's father Keke. He might prove reluctant for his son, impressing in his second season in Formula One, to link up with Hamilton, who had the measure of him in karting.
Hamilton had everyone else's measure as he took pole position yesterday for a Chinese Grand Prix that could make him Formula One's first rookie champion.
Kimi Raikkonen, who led all three practice sessions before qualifying, was second, with his Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa third. Hamilton had a time of 1m 35.908s on the 5.5km Shanghai International circuit and barely six tenths of a second separated the top four. Raikkonen did 1m 36.044s, with Massa at 1m 36.221s. Two-time defending champion Alonso was fourth at 1m 36.576s ahead of today's 56-lap race.
Hamilton will become the first rookie to clinch the title if he finishes ahead of Alonso today, or maintains at least an 11-point margin with only the Brazilian Grand Prix to go.
However, thunderstorms are predicted, with a typhoon forecast to hit Taiwan. If it stays on its current path, the eye of the storm was expected to strike land about 300km south of Shanghai late today, bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
The approaching weather influenced qualifying, as some cars carried set-ups for rain, while others had dry settings, with differences in springs and brake cooling.
Ferrari and McLaren have won all 15 races so far, with Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen each notching four victories. Ferrari has won two of the previous three races here and the red cars could be the downfall of Alonso.
If Raikkonen and Massa were to finish first and second for Ferrari - and if Alonso and Hamilton follow third and fourth - there would be still be an unassailable 11-point gap between Hamilton and Alonso.
Hamilton is driving in Shanghai after surviving trial by YouTube. He was a relieved man yesterday when a day of worry and recrimination ended with him being cleared of dangerous driving at last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
The 22-year-old was accused by Toro Rosso of causing their driver, Sebastian Vettel, to crash into Red Bull's Mark Webber in appalling conditions by slowing down dramatically around the final corner of lap 46. They provided the YouTube evidence, filmed by a Japanese fan, to support their case. Both drivers complained that Hamilton was erratic, though he insisted he was merely hitting his brakes to keep them hot.
However, the three stewards took the view that the track was much more treacherous than on any other occasion the safety car has been deployed and that it would be unfair to penalise anyone. It meant that Vettel, who was originally told he would be sent back 10 places on the grid for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix, had his punishment waived. He was instead reprimanded for shunting into the back of Australian Webber.
It was a dramatic day in the oversized Shanghai paddock, with Hamilton hinting he was the victim of a political game waged by the FIA.
Just before seeing the stewards, he said: "There have been some strange situations this year where I'm made to look the bad person.
"If this is the way it's going to keep going, it's not somewhere I really want to be. I had a good weekend in Japan. I didn't put a foot wrong, I didn't do anything to put anyone else in danger.
"I just think it's a real shame for the sport. Formula One's supposed to be about hard, fair competition. That's what I've tried to do this year - just be fair.
" Daily Mail
