SUZUKA, Japan: Torrential rain washed out qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix Saturday, forcing race organizers to postpone the session at the Suzuka circuit until Sunday morning. Qualifying was postponed from the 2 P.M. (0500 GMT) timeslot several times and was eventually abandoned for the day. Race organizers later announced it would take place at 10 A.M. Sunday. Earlier, a drenched track for the morning practice session saw just two drivers record a lap time in the 60-minute session. Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel, who topped both of Friday's practice sessions in the dry, backed the move. “I know it is not an easy decision to take, but in those conditions we have no control of our cars,” Vettel said. “I think it was the right decision. There was no chance for us - we would just be passengers, rather than controlling, and being able to push to our limits and to the limits of the car.” Vettel's teammate and world championship leader Mark Webber, said he was glad the grid for Sunday's 53-lap race was not compromised by a qualifying session held in teeming rain that “becomes a bit more of a lottery.” “I like to be tested, and it's good to be driving on testing tracks in testing conditions,” said the Australian, 11 points clear of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the world championship standings. “But there's not a driver in the pit lane that doesn't like to be able to control the car in a straight line.” McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, desperate to complete as many laps of the Suzuka circuit as possible Saturday after a heavy accident wiped out most of his Friday track time, said the conditions were “crazy”. And Hamilton's teammate, reigning world champion Jenson Button, said there was nothing the drivers could do to adjust to the conditions. “It's not driving a racing car - you're floating the whole time,” he said. “You might as well stick a rudder and a sail on it.” In the little action that took place on the track, Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari led Saturday morning practice, but the Spaniard was 24 seconds slower than the pace-setting lap of Vettel in the dry on Friday. Timo Glock of Virgin Racing was the only other driver to record a lap time in the treacherous conditions. Rivers of water ran across the circuit at Turn 1, a 235km an hour right-hander, while puddles an inch deep pooled at the final chicane at Turn 17, causing several drivers to spin. The rain intensified soon after Saturday practice finished. A total of 26 millimeters (one inch) of rain was recorded in the three hours from noon. The postponement of qualifying Sunday will be the first time Formula One qualifying and a race have been held on the same day since the Japanese Grand Prix of 2004, where Saturday action was canceled after Typhoon Ma-On swept across the Suzuka region. Just 25 points - the equivalent of a single race win - separate the top five at the head of the championship standings, with Webber leading Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Button. After Japan there are just three races left in the season. ‘Korean GP will happen' The inaugural Korean Grand Prix will go ahead as planned after Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said the race is “on, end of story”. Doubts had been raised whether the new circuit, in Yeongam province 400 kilometers from Seoul, would be completed ahead of the race on Oct. 24. The circuit is yet to pass an official inspection from the FIA, the sport's governing body, but Ecclestone said the event will take place. “They had problems, but have done wonders in the last few weeks,” Ecclestone told Britain's Daily Express newspaper. “I will be there, the world will be watching, and we will have a great race. I've seen photographs, and the top layer of the track has been laid. They will pass the inspection.” – Agence France
