Alguersuari surfs around Suzuka

As expected, rain was pounding down as Saturday’s free practice session got underway.

Despite the amount of standing water on the track, many of the drivers left the pits to sample the conditions on an installation lap. This done, they retreated in their garages.

With fifteen minutes gone, Lewis Hamilton was the only one not to have come out. In the meantime, his teammate Jenson Button had completed two installation laps, as well as Williams’ Hulkenberg.

Timo Glock and Jaime Alguersuari retook to the track for a couple more laps, but both of them came back in the pits as aquaplaning was a major concern for everyone.

Lewis Hamilton eventually left the pits with just over 35 minutes remaining. His McLaren’s repairs having been completed and the parts rushed over having been fitted to it, the Briton went out for a couple installation laps.

Button, Glock and Alguersuari ventured on the track once more. Despite a moment at the final chicane, the Toro Rosso driver kicked off a timed lap and completed it. He posted a first time of 1’58’’016. Glock joined him on the board with a 2’07’’497.

While Alguersuari stayed out and improved his lap time, Glock returned to the Virgin garage. The Spaniard came back in after having completed a second flying lap and set a 1’55’’902. The track then fell silent.

Buemi broke it some ten minutes later. The Swiss lost control of his car exiting the last chicane, span and pitted. Hamilton did one more lap in the last minutes of the session but the rain was intensifying and he quickly came in.

That was it for this final practice session, with a big question mark hanging over the qualifying session as the weather is expected to get even worse. From heavy, the rain should become torrential in the area of Suzuka in the next hours.