GP2 duo impress on debut outings.

With their GP2 rivals currently embarking on a series of test sessions with various teams in an attempt to secure a seat in the championship for 2007, series front runners Michael Ammermuller and Alex Premat instead spent the day pitching for an F1 career in practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Making their F1 weekend bows with Red Bull and Spyker MF1 respectively, Ammermuller and Premat come to Shanghai having made their debut last week at Silverstone, with the duo completing a productive day of running.

However, while it was Premat who completed the greater amount of miles in the new, distinctively liveried Spyker by posting 50 laps, Ammermuller was the fastest of the GP2 graduates, the German claiming the eighth fastest time in the afternoon, a feat made all the more impressive after his team-mates struggled at the bottom of the timesheets.

Still, both has differing views as to their day's work, with Ammermuller, stepping into his role as the third driver after Robert Doornbos' promotion, claiming his car was rather difficult to drive early on and although he was happier with the balance in the afternoon, he admitted he was still learning the swoops and curves of the Shanghai circuit.

"The first session was quite difficult, as I was still learning about the car and this track is not easy to drive. I spun in the morning, there wasn't too much grip on the track and my experience was not so much in the car. But, the second session went a lot better. The balance of the car was very good and I hope I did a good test for Red Bull to help the two drivers."

Premat though was rather more excited to be returning to an F1 seat, not least because his Chinese Grand Prix experience will be his last before Spyker embark on a third driver rotation system for the final two races. Indeed, the Frenchman was satisfied with gaining more F1 miles under his belt by claiming the 15th fastest time.

"I am very happy about today and it was really amazing to drive an F1 car once again," he said. "During the first and second session it was really exciting; the team did a great job with the new tyre even though it was not very easy to drive in the afternoon. I think the team can make the right decisions with what I achieved today in the car."