• Japanese Grand Prix - FP3

Alguersuari tops final practice washout

Jaime Alguersuari was the only driver to set a competitive time in terrible conditions © Getty Images

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• News:
• Qualifying postponed until Sunday as rain hits Suzuka
  

• Race:
• Japanese Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Jaime Alguersuari
• |
• Jenson Button
• |
• Timo Glock
• |
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• McLaren
• |
• Toro Rosso
• |
• Virgin

A downpour at the Suzuka circuit severely restricted running for the final practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix amid concerns qualifying could be postponed to Sunday.

For what it is worth, Jaime Alguersuari set the fastest time, but was only one of only two drivers - Timo Glock the other - to complete a full lap of the sodden circuit. At the start of the session the track was wet but running was still possible and all the cars ventured out on wet tyres for an exploratory lap before returning to the pits.

Most drivers then decided nothing could be learnt in the deluge and sat out of the rest of the session in the dry comfort of the garage. Alguersuari managed to clock up nine laps in total and set a time of 1:55.902 on a three lap run before the rain got even heavier. Glock's time was over 11 seconds slower and he spun at one point as his car aquaplaned severely on the straights.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button also went out in the wet conditions but neither of them saw anything to gain by completing a lap and both headed immediately for the pits. On his final attempt in the worst of the conditions, Hamilton reported over the radio: "Impossible to drive, huge rivers everywhere."

Michael Schumacher completed a practice start in the pit lane before making it to the track entrance and turning his engine off. Towards the end of the session Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn told BBC Sport: "I'd be disappointed if we qualify in these conditions."

With conditions set to get worse before they get better, qualifying may well take place on Sunday morning.

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