The 1st and 2nd practice sessions on Friday were run under wet conditions while the 3rd practice this morning was run under dry conditions giving the teams and drivers just 1 hour to prepare for qualifying and the race!
1:49
Jarno Trulli was fastest in the morning session ahead of Sebastian Buemi and Nico Rosberg
1:50
Mark Webber crashed out in practice and reports indicate that the car sustained significant damage and cannot be repaired prior to qualifying!
1:56
Formula 1 returns to Suzuka after 2 years in Fuji. 8 drivers will be racing here for the first time in Formula 1
1:58
Confirmation that Webber will not take part in qualifying. He will start from the back of the grid tomorrow
1:58
Air temperature at 26 while track temperature is at 40 degrees
1:59
Qualifying is expected to be very close!
2:00
1st qualifying session underway!
2:00
Buemi is the first out on the track followed by Liuzzi
2:01
It is sunny at Suzuka! What a change from yesterday!
2:01
Button on the track!
2:02
Fisichella on the track too
2:03
Buemi is off!! He is into the barrier
2:03
Buemi managed to drive out of the gravel but his car is damaged
2:04
A 1:33.585 for Liuzzi
2:04
Buemi pits. He has 15 minutes to get back out. It will be very unlikely!
2:05
Alguersuari sets a 1:33.124
2:05
16 cars on the track
2:06
Trulli fastest with a 1:31.810. He is on the harder compound
2:06
Everyone on the track expect Webber and Buemi
2:07
Buemi may be able to make it back out!
2:07
7 minutes into the session and it is Trulli from Button and Grosjean
2:08
Vettel now fastest with a 1:31.628
2:09
Trulli goes fastest again with a 1:31.080
2:09
Vettel takes it back with a 1:30.979
2:10
Kovalainen spins, spins, spins and recovers!
2:11
10 minutes into Q1 - Top 10: Vettel, Trulli, Kubica, Glock, Barrichello, Alonso, Button, Raikkonen, Nakajima and Hamilton
2:11
Currently the top 13 are separated by 1 second!
2:12
Fisichella in 18th despite being on the soft compound!
2:13
Hamilton moves into second with a 1:31.056
2:16
Buemi gets back out with less than 5 minutes to go. He could make it into Q2!
2:16
Alonso up into 5th with a 1:31.401
2:17
Raikkonen moves into 5th with a 1:31.339
2:18
Final run in Q1 - Everyone on the track expect Vettel, Webber and Alonso
2:18
Buemi moves into 4th!
2:19
Alonso decides to go back out at the last minute!
2:20
Alonso pits! He is 10th. Kovalainen could be in trouble!
2:21
Kovalainen makes it! He goes 12th
2:22
Q1 Top 10: Vettel, Hamilton, Button, Trulli, Buemi, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Rosberg, Sutil and Alonso
2:22
Q1 - Knocked out: Fisichella, Nakajima, Grosjean, Liuzzi. Webber didn't take part
2:25
Second qualifying session about to start
2:27
Q2 underway
2:27
Raikkonen is the first out
2:28
Kovalainen and Kubica also out
2:28
This will be a very close session
2:30
8 drivers on the track. Raikkonen on his first flyer
2:30
A 1:31.195 for Raikkonen
2:31
Alguesuari crashed! Session stopped
2:31
Q2 - Stopped: Alguesuari's car is badly damaged!
2:32
Q2 - Stopped: Alguesuari drove straight into the barriers. He is ok
2:32
Q2 - Stopped: Alguesuari is still in the car!
2:33
Q2 - Stopped: Alguesuari lifted out of the car but he is now walking! Great news
2:34
Q2 - Stopped: Webber, Buemi and Alguesuari all crashed at the same corner!
2:36
Session restarting in 2 minutes
2:38
Q2 - Session resumes
2:38
Trulli and Glock go out and so does Heidfeld
2:39
More cars go out on the track!
2:40
With Alguersuari out. 4 cars will be knocked out this session
2:42
Another crash! Glock! Session stopped
2:42
Strange how Glock went off. Going onto the main straight
2:43
Q2 - Stopped: Glock still in his car
2:44
Q2 - Stopped: Glock is getting help as he remains in the car
2:45
Q2 - Stopped: Looks like Glock may have some injury
2:46
Q2 - Stopped: Only 2 timed laps so far. Trulli and Raikkonen
2:47
Q2 - Stopped: Stretcher arriving at the scene
2:48
Q2 - Stopped: Replay shows that Glock took out the steering wheel. Hopefully he didn't sustain any serious injuries
2:50
Q2 - Stopped: 7:49 remains in the session #F1
2:51
With Alguersuari and Glock out. Only 3 cars will be knocked out this session
2:54
Q2 Stopped: Glock didn't take part in practice yesterday due to a heavy cold. Did he get back into the car too early ?
2:55
Q2 Stopped: Glock has been taken out of the car. He seems to be ok #F1
2:56
Q2 Stopped: Glock taken to the medical centre for further checks #F1
2:56
Q2 Stopped: Session restarting in a minute
2:57
Alonso waiting at the end of the pitlane
2:58
Session restarts!
2:58
Alonso and Rosberg go out immediately
2:59
Hamilton out on the track too
3:01
Alonso in 3rd
3:02
Hamilton very quick!
3:02
Hamilton goes fastest with a 1:30.627
3:03
Vettel moves into 3rd
3:03
Now all the cars are on the track except for Glock and Alguersuari
3:04
Hamilton pits
3:04
[Comment From Parashar ] where is sutil ?
[Ed] No time yet
3:05
Vettel goes quickest with a 1:30.341!
3:05
Heidfeld on a quick one!
3:06
Button and Barrichello are not so quick! They both may not make it!
3:07
Yellow flags! Buemi has an incident!
3:07
A few cars have made it but they may have set their quickest times under yellow!
3:08
[Comment From Parashar ] wat is happening ? this qualiying has most no.of accidents in this season.
[Ed] Indeed!
3:08
It is surprising to see Buemi managing to get his car back to the pits!
3:09
Q2 - Top 10: Vettel, Hamilton, Trulli, Button, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Buemi, Sutil, Kovalainen and Heidfeld
3:10
Q2: Knocked out: Rosberg, Alonso and Kubica. Glock and Alguersuari crashed
3:13
[Comment From Parashar ] is sutil out of relegation ???for q3
[Ed] Sutil is in Q3
3:14
[Comment From Parashar ] why was luizzi so off pace ??? did he caught traffic ??
[Ed] Unclear but he did have a gearbox change
3:14
Buemi will not take part in Q3
3:14
Q3 underway and Sutil and Kovalainen are out
3:16
8 cars on the track now
3:16
[Comment From Parashar ] so now its confirmed sutil will in top 9
[Ed] He is taking part now
3:16
All cars on the track expect for Buemi
3:17
Kovalainen crashes! Session will stop
3:17
Q3 stopped! This is the 3rd red flag in qualifying!
3:18
Kovalainen is fine but his car is heavily damaged!
3:20
[Comment From Parashar ] ohh wat is this japan is unlucky for majority of drivers.
[Ed] It is a tricky track and many drivers haven't raced here
3:21
Q3 stopped: Kovalainen radios back that he is 'absolutely fine'
3:21
Q3 session restarting shortly
3:22
Raikkonen and Trulli out straight away as the session restarts!
3:24
Raikkonen is on the harder compound!
3:25
Raikkonen sets a 1:33.010
3:27
Heidfeld on a very quick lap and so is Vettel !
3:27
8 cars on the track with just a minute remaining
3:28
[Comment From Parashar ] wat abt sutil ?
[Ed] A slow time for some reason!
3:28
Vettel sets a 1:32.160
3:28
[Comment From sachin ] total 4 accidents???
[Ed] Yes
3:29
Trulli second with a 1:32.220. Heidfeld in 3rd
3:29
Sutil in 3rd
3:29
Hamilton takes 3rd
3:29
Button on 7th!
3:30
Barrichello in 5th!
3:30
So it is Vettel from Trulli and Hamilton
3:31
Sutil, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Button, Raikkonen make the top 8. Kovalainen and Buemi didn't set times
3:31
[Comment From Archive ] Aren't there any other drivers on track?
[Ed] Many drivers opted for just a single run
3:32
[Comment From Archive ] thanks for that
[Ed] You are welcome
3:32
[Comment From Archive ] parashar u seemed to be obssessed with force india
3:32
[Comment From Parashar ] is session over ???
[Ed] Yes
3:33
[Comment From Parashar ] yes Archive i am greta fab of Force india
3:33
[Comment From Parashar ] Thanks Ed for updates
[Ed] You are welcome
3:35
[Comment From sachin ] good qualifying for sutil
3:40
Fuel weights will be published in a few hours
3:41
Vettel "Very very happy" after grabbing Pole for the Japanese Grand Prix
3:42
[Comment From Parashar ] i think trulli is running light
[Ed] Not too sure. The Toyota's have been quick today
3:45
News on Glock is that he has a left leg wound. It remains to be seen if he will be able to race tomorrow. If he cannot then Toyota will have only 1 car as he cannot be replaced.
3:48
It remains to be seen whether those who set their quick times under yellow flags in Q2 will be penalised! Those include Button and Barrichello!
4:47
Reports that a number of drivers have been called by the stewards for speeding under yellow flags (during Q2)
5:24
[Comment From Parashar ] so 2mrw no one car less on grid right ,timo's accident
[Ed] Not sure what the question is but Timo may race. It depends if he is cleared for the race or not
7:00
Ross Brawn expects a penalty for a few drivers including his own two!
7:25
It is now reported that Sutil, Barrichello, Button, Buemi and Alonso will get a 5 place grid penalty for ignoring the yellow flags at the end of Q2. Buemi also gets a reprimand
7:46
And Kovalainen is to get a 5 place penalty for a gearbox change!
