Rain looms for weekend’s Japanese GP

Wet weather could play a role at Suzuka this weekend.

Huge amounts of rain have been falling in Japan’s Mie Prefecture recently, but better conditions have prevailed in recent days as the teams set up their garages at the popular circuit.

Indeed, mainly sunny and pleasant weather is forecast for the region for the remainder of the working week, although there could be some showers on Friday.

But Saturday and Sunday could be a different story, with early forecasts predicting up to a 50 per cent possibility of heavy winds and rain.

Meanwhile, a significant change to the Suzuka circuit for 2010 is at the fast double-right corners known as Degner.

The alteration, confirmed by the FIA, follows a number of crashes - including by Mark Webber, Sebastien Buemi, Jamie Alguersuari and Heikki Kovalainen - there last year.

The governing body said a new 25mm "negative kerb" has replaced the old kerb and the green concrete section at the exit of the fast first Degner section.

The Spoon Curve also features modified outside kerbing for 2010, including more artificial grass there and also behind the kerb at the final chicane.