By Sean Chaney
**McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen clocked the fastest lap of a wet first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.**Kovalainen, who has never before raced at the famous figure-of-eight-shaped track, recorded a time of one minute 40.356 late on as the track dried out.
Seven different drivers topped the timesheets in a session that offered little indication of real race pace.
Kovalainen’s McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton was sixth while championship leader Jenson Button was 18th quickest.
Button can win the championship if he scores five more points than his Brawn GP team-mate and closest title rival Rubens Barrichello in Japan.
Barrichello was ninth quickest in Friday’s first practice session but it is difficult to read too much into the rain-affected session.
Teams usually use Friday’s two 90-minute run-outs to experiment with fuel loads and assess any changes and developments they have made to their cars.
Also with rain a possibility this weekend many teams decided to cut back on running in the first practice session rather than use up any of their supply of wet weather tyres.
More to follow.