The opening practice for the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix would see AT&T Williams drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima finish in seventh and nineteenth. Both drivers would spin during the session as they came to grips with the Shanghai circuit.

Kazuki would have a moment that would see him run wide at Turn one. he would follow this up with another when he would miss his braking point for Turn fourteen and slid on towards the extra tarmac area.

Nico was able to set the second fastest time early in the session but would rop down the order as the session progressed.

Pos  Driver        Team			    Time     Laps
 1.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes     (B) 1:37.334 22
 2.  Button        Brawn GP-Mercedes    (B) 1:37.450 18
 3.  Barrichello   Brawn GP-Mercedes    (B) 1:37.566 19
 4.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes     (B) 1:37.672 23
 5.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault     (B) 1:37.752 20
 6.  Trulli        Toyota               (B) 1:37.764 19
 7.  Rosberg       AT&T Williams-Toyota (B) 1:37.860 24
 8.  Glock         Toyota               (B) 1:37.894 21
 9.  Alonso        Renault              (B) 1:38.089 19
10.  Bourdais      Toro Rosso-Ferrari   (B) 1:38.195 24
11.  Raikkonen     Ferrari              (B) 1:38.223 23
12.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault     (B) 1:38.274 20
13.  Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari   (B) 1:38.307 26
14.  Sutil         Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:38.319 18
15.  Massa         Ferrari              (B) 1:38.418 20
16.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber           (B) 1:38.456 21
17.  Fisichella    Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:38.460 19
18.  Kubica        BMW Sauber           (B) 1:38.463 18
19.  Nakajima      AT&T Williams-Toyota (B) 1:38.730 25
20.  Piquet        Renault              (B) 1:38.825 20