Formula One leader Jenson Button spent more time sheltering in the garage than on track as heavy rain washed out much of Friday's Japanese Grand Prix practice. McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen was fastest in a wet first session, with heavier rain after lunch giving the ever patient fans little to watch other than the spreading puddles and streams of water running down the track. Button, who can win the F1 title with two races to spare Sunday if he beats Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello by five points, did not complete a timed lap in the afternoon. He had been only 18th in the first practice and decided not to venture out for the second 90 minute session, at least an hour of which ticked past without any cars on track before some teams put on a late show for the fans. “We decided to do at least one run at the end of the day as a sign of respect to all the fans who remained glued to their seats in the grandstands, despite the rain,” said Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali. Button expected conditions to be dry for Saturday qualifying. “You just have to hope that we can get a good balance for qualifying straight off, which is why we are doing a lot of work now to make sure that we have the balance correct for when we get out there,” he added. With rain falling and dark skies over the Honda-owned circuit, there was an unfamiliar look to the top of the timesheets in both sessions. Japan's only regular race driver Kazuki Nakajima, still without a point after 14 races, had enjoyed a rare moment in the limelight when he led for Williams in the morning until toppled by Kovalainen in the closing minutes. Force India's Adrian Sutil was third fastest in that session ahead of former teammate Giancarlo Fisichella in a Ferrari and Swiss rookie Sebastien Buemi for Toro Rosso. Only Fisichella among the top five had previously raced a Formula One car at Suzuka, making its return to the calendar for the first time since 2006, although Sutil competed there in Japanese F3. McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton, also making his first appearance at the track, was sixth and in high spirits. Sutil topped the timing screens in the afternoon, with a best lap seven seconds slower than Kovalainen had managed earlier in the day. Toyota's Timo Glock, second in Singapore last weekend, was unable to take part in practice after being laid low with a heavy cold and fever. The German was replaced by Japanese reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi but Toyota said they expected him to be fit for Saturday's qualifying.
