There is a tendency to think that Formula 1 is a very safe sport, which in some ways it is, but come to a really challenging circuit like Suzuka and the slightest mistake can have frightening consequences. In today’s qualifying, in which Kimi Raikkonen qualified eighth and Gianfranco Fisichella set the sixteenth fastest time, several drivers had high speed accidents, the most serious affecting the Toyota of Timo Glock, although his injuries are not life threatening.

The crashes meant the session was interrupted by no less than three red flag periods and it took almost 90 minutes to complete, rather than the more usual hour. Why so many accidents? That’s hard to say, but the fact the drivers have only had one hour of dry free practice this morning to run on slicks, after Friday’s sessions were held in the rain, probably had something to do with it. As for the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro duo, they both brought their F60s home in one piece: Giancarlo Fisichella just missed out on making it to Q2 by the slimmest of margins, while Kimi Raikkonen really did the very most he and the F60 were capable of, but the performance level of the car, as it comes towards the end of its racing life, is currently not at the level of the best. On the plus side, Kimi has a heavy fuel load, which will hopefully help him to run longer than those around him before the first pit stop tomorrow, thus getting some clear track ahead of him and with a good long run down to the high speed first corner, KERS should help him make up some places. With overtaking a possibility at this track and with the likelihood of further incidents during the race, even Giancarlo is hoping to finish in the top eight and pick up some points, but it’s a lot to ask for.

The front end of the grid provides a fairly accurate snapshot of which teams have the quick cars at this point on the calendar: Sebastian Vettel was fastest for Red Bull-Renault, with the Toyota of Jarno Trulli alongside him on the front row. Row 2 sees reigning world champion Lewis Hamilon on the inside line in the McLaren-Mercedes, with the Force India of Adrian Sutil in fourth spot. Rubens Barrichello is fifth for Brawn and Nick Heidfeld sixth for BMW. Mark Webber’s name does not appear on the Qualifying list, after he required a chassis change following a morning accident and he will start from pit lane.

The Japanese GP's starting grid will be quite different from the qualifying's outcome. Apart from the doubts about Glock's health conditions, who will start, just like Webber, from the pit lane, some drivers will be penalised, based on what happened after Buemi's accident at the end of Q2.

Button, Barrichello, Alonso and Sutil will be moved back five positions on the grid for not having slowed down enough under the yellow flag, while Buemi, the accident's author, was also penalised with five positions for having returned to the box with a car in unsafe conditions and for having slowed down other drivers. Furthermore also Kovalainen will move five positions back, because he'll need a new gearbox in his car.

The first three positions will remain unaltered, with Vettel on the pole position, ahead of Trulli and Hamilton. Therefore Heidfeld and Raikkonen will move up to fourth and fifth position respectively. The definite starting grid will be communicated by the stewards tomorrow morning.

The Japanese race fans are as enthusiastic, if less numerous than in past years at this track, possibly because Honda is no longer competing in F1. However, with the weather improving and hot, sunny forecast for Sunday, the main grandstands should be as packed as ever, for what looks set to be one of the most interesting races of the season.

“We have to be realistic and recognise that this reflects our actual performance level,” said Stefano Domenicali. “Kimi produced another great showing, getting the most out of a car that, partly due to our strategy regarding next year, is definitely not among the quickest. There’s also a slight feeling of regret that, but for a few hundredths of a second in Q3, he might have been able to start from a bit further forward. A shame for Giancarlo who, despite the improvement he showed today, just missed out on going into Q2, which he would have deserved. Tomorrow’s race will be very long and tough. Kimi starts with a good fuel load on board and, also thanks to the KERS at the start, should be able to end up with a good result. It will be harder for Giancarlo, given his grid position, but you never know what can happen in the race.”

Giancarlo Fisichella: “I am very disappointed not to have made it through to Q2. We only had this morning’s free practice to prepare the car in the dry, but I think all the same, I improved my performance level, growing ever more confident in the F60. On my final timed lap, I made a mistake which probably cost me the time I needed to get into the next part. Tomorrow, the aim is to get into the points: I know it will be very difficult, starting from the eighth row, but with a good strategy, maybe I can do it.”

Kimi Raikkonen: “I don’t think we could have expected much more today. We know what our potential is and we have to accept that. Here, the situation is definitely better than in Singapore, but we continue to struggle, especially with a lack of aerodynamic downforce, which makes itself felt especially in the first sector. Overall, the car is working well and it’s nice to drive on such a demanding track as this, where the slightest error is heavily punished, as we saw today. It’s a shame I didn’t have new soft tyres for Q3, but we had to use them earlier to avoid being knocked out: all in all it was a good qualifying. Tomorrow, we will try and have a good race: it will be difficult to fight for the top spots, but we will try and we can count on having a good strategy.”

Chris Dyer: “A really close fought qualifying. Another great performance from Kimi, at every stage of the session. It’s a shame that, for just a few hundredths in Q3, he could have got a better grid position. We were the only ones to get to the final part without any new soft tyres, as we didn’t want to take any risks in Q1, but we are happy with how things went all the same, partly because we have a lot of fuel on board and think we have a good strategy for tomorrow’s race. It’s a bit disappointing for Giancarlo who missed out on Q2 by a whisker: he is improving day by day and we are sure that tomorrow, he will make another step forward and therefore have a good race.”