This is the first front row ever for Toyota and the veteran one lap specialist takes the pole. Now they just need to win, the pressure from Tokyo must be incredible.

Vettel is keeping up his form and Button is up there too. Hamilton is making the most out of the new developments for his MP4-24 and Barrichello had understeer out of the last corner. Alonso didn't showboat with a super-low fuel load, hopefully he can fully utilise his KERS off the line, Hamilton must be thinking this...

Q1:
Kubica is the big player here and he starts in P18. BMW are always very late out in qualifying and maybe this time it bit them. Piquet is a bad qualifier, he may lose his drive soon. Alonso have beat him 21-0. Bourdais made a mistake and the Force Indias lack downforce.

Knocked out thus far:
P16 Bourdais - Toro Rosso
P17 Piquet - Renault
P18 Kubica - BMW
P19 Sutil - Force India
P20 Fisichella - Force India

Q2:
What...

Q1:
Ferrari really messed up in Q1. Massa and Räikkönen only did 4 laps each and parked the cars thinking they had done enough, but the times tumbled and Räikkönen was lucky he didn't get knocked out too. Piquet had a disappointing session, he's usually faster in the race, but the season isn't starting well for him. Fisichella and Sutil being out is no great surprise, but Buemi was on a fast lap and went off the track.

Knocked out thus far:
P16 Massa - Ferrari
P17...

Double decker diffusers and pull-rod suspension trumps KERS.

Hamilton's pole from last year was 1:26:714, Button's time was 1:26:202, that is over half a second faster. Barrichello set the fastest time of the quali in Q2 with a 1:24.783 which is about 0.6 off the 2004 lap record set by Michael Schumacher in a V10 powered rocketship.

The Brawn cars looks really good, pace wise and aesthetically: I really like the fluorescent green on the car, they look really striking...