SAUBER PETRONAS driver Giancarlo Fisichella finished second after today's first practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, but Felipe Massa was unable to record a lap time after encountering severe aquaplaning.

Giancarlo Fisichella: "The whole package - car, engine, Bridgestone tyres - is really good, and I was consistently able to run second all day to Michael. The track conditions were very bad, with several rivers running across the circuit and a lot of standing water all round the lap. It was an easy day to make mistakes, but for me it was also important to be quick and to push. I'm very pleased with the way things went, and I think we are in good shape."

Felipe Massa: "I spun in this morning's session, and again this afternoon, and both times it was because of aquaplaning. When I went out this afternoon it began raining very heavily at the start of the lap so I had already decided to come back in and was going relatively slowly, and even so I spun at the top of the hill after the esses when the car just got away from me on standing water. An unlucky day for me."

Peter Sauber (Team Principal): "A Friday under water! Giancarlo is happy and was able to show both his talent and the quality of the car and the Bridgestone tyres. Naturally Felipe is not so happy, after aquaplaning in both sessions and failing to record a lap time."