Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in Friday’s first free practice for the Japanese Grand Prix with runaway championship leader Sebastian Vettel third fastest amid spins, run-offs and a flying wheel.
Hamilton clocked a quickest lap of one minute, 34.157 seconds in warm conditions, three-tenths clear of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
Red Bull’s Vettel, who can clinch a fourth successive Formula One world title this weekend, lapped in 1:34.768.
Vettel’s Australian Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was fourth, followed by Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso who sits second in the world championship standings.
Vettel can become only the third man to win four titles in a row on Sunday if he triumphs and Ferrari’s Alonso fails to finish in the top eight.
The German has won the past four grands prix to open a 77-point lead with only 125 available from the last five races.
Hamilton, who complained Vettel’s dominance was becoming boring after his rival’s victory at South Korea last weekend, threw his car into Suzuka’s high-speed corners, setting fastest lap after fastest lap.
Marussia’s Jules Bianchi hit a wall heavily at turn nine early on before Williams driver Pastor Maldonado lost a wheel coming through the sharp “spoon” curve.
“I lost a wheel,” he coolly informed his team over the radio, the bouncing projectile well snaffled by marshals as it headed towards a wall.