It looked to be Ferrari versus Mercedes but a gamble a second time for fresh tyres behind a Safety Car meant Daniel Ricciardo came through to snatch the Chinese GP win.
Sebastian Vettel led a Ferrari 1-2 in final practice in China but for Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo it was a morning to forget as his RB14 suffered a suspected turbo failure.
Such is Lewis Hamilton's pace around the Shanghai International circuit that even Ferrari and Red Bull's switch to the ultras was not enough to depose him from the top of the timesheet.
This weekend's Chinese Grand Prix offers Lewis Hamilton the perfect opportunity to end Sebastian Vettel's winning streak before the deficit becomes too great. But first Mercedes need to get it right.