Welcome back to ESPNF1's live coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix. It's roughly 20 minutes to the start of Q1 and we should have a very interesting session in store.

In final practice the Red Bulls dominated but neither McLaren driver managed to post a clean lap due to traffic. With all 24 cars coming out at the same time in Q1 there's a high chance of more drama in this session.

But there's no doubt the Red Bull is quick round here and looks like the car to beat. Mark Webber is also back on form so will be hoping for a front row position, ideally ahead of Seb Vettel.

But all this is not great news for Fernando Alonso, who was 11th fastest in FP3. He was using a different specification rear wing in that session so should be nearer the front but the Ferrari still doesn't look like its on the pace of the McLarens and Red Bulls. He will have to set his expectations a little bit lower today in the hope that the Ferrari's traditional race pace comes good on Sunday.

© Sutton Images

Another driver who was struggling was Kimi Raikkonen, who could not get the balance right in final practice. He made a few changes during the session but still finished the hour complaining of a heavy front end and a loose rear. That's not ideal at this circuit and he might have to take a punt on an untested setup in Q1 and Q2 to make sure he features in the top-ten shootout.

It's also worth noting that Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button have grid penalties from wherever the qualify. Schumacher will go ten places backwards from his position after taking out Vergne in Singapore. Button loses five places due to a gearbox problem.

Force India are still working on Hulkenberg's Force India after he crashed at the second Degner. However, the car should make it out in this session.

Paul di Resta is the first man on track in this session.

Perez and Raikkonen are also out early in this session. There all on hard tyres apart from Petrov who has just gone out on softs.

Di Resta sets the first lap of the session with a 1:33.661. Not a bad time but set on the hard tyres and it included a lock up at the final chicane.

The Marussias and Kovalainen are also out on soft tyres. Everybody else is setting a banker on hards. They will then hope that's enough to make Q2 without using the softs.

Grosjean has now gone fastest with a 1:33.328. His Lotus team-mate Raikkonen is a couple of tenths off that with Alonso splitting the pair of them.

Hulkenberg climbs into his Force India as the mechanics make the final few adjustments to the car.

Massa is now fastest with a 1:32.946. Webber is second on a 1:33.019.

Perez goes off the track at Dunlop and through the gravel. That won't have done the floor of the car any good ... or the tyres.

Kobayashi set the fastest first sector but was held up in the final chicane.

Hamilton sets a 1:33.300 but he came across a Mercedes in 130R.

A replay shows Alonso skipping across the kerbs at the chicane. He's now dropped to fifth fastest.

Webber sets the fastest final sector but is still second fastest overall. So many drivers are struggling to hook up the perfect lap.

Sorry, Hulkenberg is not out on track quite yet, the tyre blankets are just coming off.

Vettel is now fastest with a 1:32.608. Grosjean comes over the radio saying "the track is quick". He's currently sixth fastest but might want another go as Maldonado is now setting fastest sectors on the soft tyres.

Maldonado goes second fastest after struggling to get the car under control coming out of the final corner. It will be enough to see him through though.

Hulkenberg went straight out on soft tyres and is currently on his flying lap.

Raikkonen has also gone out on softs and is setting fastest sectors.

Hulkenberg goes second fastest with his first lap. Good effort.

Raikkonen goes fastest overall with a 1:32.221.

Schumacher runs wide at the second Degner. We're still waiting for a proper time from him. He's out on track on hard tyres.

Kobayashi pops in the fastest time on soft tyres in front of his home crowd.

Schumacher is really struggling, but just made it in time to start another lap.

Schumacher picks his way through traffic. He's 0.4s off Vergne's time which is the one he needs to beat to make Q2.

Schumacher just slips through ahead of Vergne and Senna. Senna is out.

So Senna drops out but he did get held up by Vergne in the final chicane on his final lap. Vergne may well get a penalty for that, but Senna is not going to be in Q2 no matter what,

An interesting order in the bottom six with Kovalainen in 19th ahead of Glock, de la Rosa, Pic, Petrov and Karthikeyan.

Senna says: "[Vergne] is going to get a penalty probably, but that's not going to help me tomorrow". He is not happy at all.

Q2 is underway.

Pirelli says: "Unusual pattern for Q1. Only Red Bull, McLaren and Schumacher just used the hard tyre. Everybody else used the soft to try and go to Q2."

Hulkenberg and Kobayashi are the first two drivers out on track in this session. Everybody will switch to the soft tyres now to try to get into the top 10 for Q3.

Kobayashi sets a 1:32.268 which is not too bad at all, but a replay shows he locked up at the hairpin.

Vettel comfortably sets the fastest lap with a 1:31.501. Impressive stuff.

Di Resta's lap gets ruined with Webber and Grosjean moving slowly heading into the final chicane.

Button shows McLaren's hand with a 1:31.722, Webber is a couple of tenths off.

Hamilton is currently fourth, with a 1:32.121

In the bottom seven at the moment are Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Rosberg, di Resta, Ricciardo and Vergne. Schumacher is 17th but has not yet set a time.

Schumacher heads out on soft tyres. He will get one flying lap and he needs it to be good with his ten-place penalty hanging over him.

Massa, Kobayashi, Alonso, Raikkonen are all going out for another run.

Schumacher starts his first lap but is still warming up his tyres. Maybe he is going for a lap on his second run.

Alonso goes third with a solid lap. Rosberg can only manage ninth.

Di Resta moves up to seventh as he tries to make the top ten.

Hulkenberg puts in a very good lap for sixth fastest.

Kobayashi sets a blistering pace in the Sauber with the fourth fastest time. Massa didn't improve and could be in trouble.

Kobayashi sets a blistering pace in the Sauber with the fourth fastest time. Massa didn't improve and could be in trouble.

Raikkonen up to third with a very good lap.

Perez comes through in eighth and Massa is out of the top ten as Grosjean improves.

Both Mercedes are also it with Schumacher 13th, which will become 23rd and Rosberg 15th, which will become 14th.

Dropping out in Q2: Massa, di Resta, Schumacher, Maldonado, Rosberg, Ricciardo and Vergne.

Hamilton made it through by less than 0.2s and Massa missed out by just 0.021s.

Charles Pic has been given a reprimand and a €5,000 fine for impeding Hamilton in FP3. That indicates that maybe a couple of the qualifying incidents might be picked up.

Hulkenberg has got a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change, presumably related to his accident in FP3.

Raikkonen kicks off Q3 as he head out on the track. Hamilton and Vettel follow him out.

Raikkonen and Hamilton start their laps with plenty of empty track ahead of them.

The Red Bulls are so much quicker than everyone through sector one as Raikkonen crosses the line for a 1:32.208.

Fantastic lap by Vettel with a 1:30.839, Webber is second with a 1:31.090. Button third with a 1:31.294. Hamilton is struggling and could only manage a :32.349 back in sixth.

So that's the first run done. The cars will be refuelled for a second run. We've yet to see Alonso go out.

All ten cars are on track. Raikkonen and Vettel will be the first of the front runners to set time.

Vettel sets a new fastest first sector with a 32.4. Raikkonen could only manage a 32.8 by comparison.

Raikkonen has spun off at Spoon. That will ruin everyone's lap

Raikkonen lost the rear midway through the corner, went on to the run-off and then spun coming back onto the track.

Button and Kobayashi managed to finish their laps and the Sauber driver improved to fourth, which will become third when Button's penalty is applied.

Hamilton finished ninth with the slowest time in Q3 as Hulkenberg did not set a time.

So the grid order (with penalties applied) will be: Vettel, Webber, Kobayashi, Grosjean, Perez, Alonso, Raikkonen, Button, Hamilton, Massa, di Resta, Maldonado, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Vergne, Senna, Kovalainen, Glock, de la Rosa, Pic, Petrov, Schumacher and Karthikeyan

Kobayashi said he could have been quicker without the yellow flag but he did set his fastest sector with those yellows showing. Sauber will have to prove to the stewards that he backed off.

Airlotto asks: "Sorry, i must have missed it. Why does Button have a penalty ?"

Button changed his gearbox ahead of the session as McLaren found the same problem with his 'box that caused Hamilton to retire in Singapore.

Thanks for joining us for qualifying. We'll have all the driver reaction (and possible penalties) on the website as the news breaks, make sure you stayed logged on to ESPNF1.com