Although the typhoon isn't expected to hit the region until tomorrow (Saturday), heavy storms are already battering Suzuka. Indeed as the cars prepare for the opening practice session, the race stewards have made the use of 'heavy rain tyres' compulsory.

Air temperature is 17 degrees C, while the track temperature is only marginally higher, at 18 degrees.

Leinders and Doornbos are first out, followed by Fisichella, Panis, Trulli, Glock and Baumgartner. At the end of the installation lap, the drivers return to their garages.

With fourteen minutes of the session gone, nobody has posted a time, while Button, Barrichello, Coulthard, Wirdheim and Briscoe, haven't been out.

There's absolutely nothing happening. It's simply too wet to bother attempting a 'serious' run. That said, Barrichello comes out for his installation lap.

Twenty-five minutes into the session it stops raining. Then almost immediately, it begins again.

Mark Webber exits the Jaguar pit, are we about to witness the first timed lap of the day? Moments later, teammate Christian Klien also comes out. Sadly, both drivers return to their garages following their exploratory lap.

Thirty-three minutes into the session and Jarno Trulli comes out to play in his Toyota.

The Italian continues around, it looks as though we're finally going to get a benchmark. He completes the first sector in 47.6s, then a 56.3s at the second split. Meanwhile, Klien comes back out.

Trulli posts 2:11.052. When you consider that lat year's pole time was 1:31.713, that gives you a rough idea of the conditions.

As Doornbos comes out, Trulli continues around, this time posting a 44.6s in the first sector, and a 52.2s in the second. He lowers the benchmark to 2:02.431.

1:59.148, Trulli continues to lap the sodden Suzuka circuit, slowly lowering the benchmark. Doornbos is the second driver to post a time (2:08.754), though Leinders goes quicker with a 2:04.256.

Both Leinders and Doornbos get down into the 2:01s, which is pretty impressive, given the conditions.

With thirteen minutes remaining, Baumgartner comes out, as does Fisichella. Slowly, Timo Glock emerges from his garage, as does Michael Schumacher, are we finally going to see some action?

As Baumgartner posts 2:03.955, to go fourth, Fisichella goes quickest in the first and second sectors, finally crossing the line at, 1:55.132, to go quickest. No doubt the Italian will be hoping that conditions remain pretty much the same this weekend, having taken an excellent win at Interlagos in the wet last year.

That said, the 'rain-master' goes quickest, Michael Schumacher crossing the line at 1:47.906. Elsewhere, Kimi Raikkonen goes third with a 1:53.777.

Gradually, more and more drivers emerge from the garages, finally - with five minutes remaining - we have some action.

Glock goes third, ahead of Raikkonen and Alonso, though moments later the Finn improves to third with a 1:51.530.

Felipe Massa spins of at Turn 8, hits the barrier and is left stranded on the grass. His session is over.

Heidfeld goes sixth, ahead of Ralf, Trulli, Leinders, Doornbos, Villeneuve and Baumgartner. Meanwhile, Button goes sixth with a, 1:54.722, only to be demoted by Doornbos.

With just seconds of this first session remaining, Montoya goes sixth, and then Barrichello third, as Fisichella closes to within 0.456s of Schumacher. Button also improves, the Englishman posting 1:49.937 to go fourth.

The session ends with just seventeen drivers posting times.

Michael Schumacher is quickest, ahead of Fisichella, Barrichello, Button, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Glock, Montoya, Doornbos and Alonso.

Leinders is eleventh quickest, ahead of Ralf, Villeneuve, Trulli, Davidson, Bruni and Baumgartner.

Let's hope that conditions improve for the second session in two hours time.