Ferrari have insisted that they still lack single-lap pace despite Felipe Massa's fastest time in practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Technical director Pat Fry said that the race pace is more encouraging and that the team will find out in Saturday's qualifying session if it can keep up outside the race situation.

"I think pace-wise, exactly where we are in qualifying, we are still not sure yet," Autosport quotes Fry as saying. "It looks like we are a reasonable amount off still, and have a lot of work to do.

"Race pace for the last two races has looked quite encouraging. We have got some more developments here, so we are trying to close the gap that we think we have got to the leading teams. I suppose we will find out tomorrow."

Massa's teammate Fernando Alonso was third in Friday's practice.