Suzuka, 12 October

As is usually the case, the outcome of qualifying was decided in the final seconds of the session. Tomorrow, Felipe Massa will start the Japanese Grand Prix from fifth place, having done a 1.31.378, while Fernando Alonso will be three places back thanks to a lap in 1.31.665.
In Q1, both men went out for a first run on Hard tyres, Fernando doing a good 1.32.371 which got him through to the next part. Three minutes before the end, the session was red flagged as Vergne’s car had to be retrieved after a fire. At the restart, Massa went out with a set of Mediums setting the second fastest time of 1.31.994 on his final lap.
In Q2, Alonso used his first set of Medium tyres to go eighth quickest in 1.31.828, while Massa used the Mediums with which he had finished the previous session, before fitting a new set to go sixth in 1.31.668.
In the final session, run entirely on the Medium tyre, Alonso’s first lap was a 1.31.839 and with three minutes remaining the two F138s went out again for the last flying lap of the day, which saw Massa set the fifth fastest time and Alonso the eighth. Pole went to Mark Webber in the Red Bull in a time of 1.30.915.