MOTOR SPORT FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP:ON THURSDAY afternoon Jenson Button, arriving at a Suzuka circuit where, for the first time, he has a chance to seal the Formula One title, insisted he could not afford to focus on the ultimate goal but simply had to get out on track and prepare this race. The rest, he intimated, would look after itself. For a man whose season has see-sawed between boom and bust, he should have known better than to tempt fate.

Yesterday, with rain falling so hard garage-bound mechanics kept busy by building paper boats and sailing them down a flooded pitlane, Button could only watch all his preparatory work wash towards the overflowing drains.

After finishing 18th in a sodden first session Button and title-chasing team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who set the ninth fastest morning time, failed to turn a wheel in the drenched afternoon, most drivers opting for just a handful of wet-weather test laps before returning to sit out the storm in their garages.

“I feel sorry for the fans today but we can’t get any useful information in these conditions with so much water on the track,” Button lamented afterwards.

Now, with just today’s short practice session, usually reserved for low-fuel qualifying-style runs, to play with, all the Briton’s set-up work will now have to be funnelled into a pressured one-hour stint.

The situation, though, is the same for all, although some were clearly enjoying the experience more than others.

Lewis Hamilton was one of the few who took to the track for more than a couple of laps in the afternoon, the revitalised McLaren driver admitting that having only raced at Fuji circuit in Japan before, Suzuka was a thrilling ride, even in the wet.

“This is the best track I’ve ever driven,” Hamilton said. “I had a great time today. We weren’t supposed to be running this afternoon, but I couldn’t help it: I just had to go out and have a little bit of fun!”

Hamilton has been on a charge of late, his much improved McLaren giving him a consistent edge over the faltering ambitions of Brawn and title rivals Red Bull Racing and while he is no threat to title leads, the defending champion, with wins in Singapore last week and in Hungary, is proving to be a fast-buzzing annoyance in the championship leaders’ quest for maximum points. A quick McLaren in at the top of the grid would further frustrate any title bid for Button.

More ominous again was the pace set by two others who could disrupt any chance of him taking the crown tomorrow.

Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel still has a very slim mathematical chance of bypassing Button and yesterday the young German finished the day second, marginally behind the Force India of Adrian Sutil.

“I don’t come into this race thinking I am going to seal the title here, there are so many possibilities,” said Button. That assessment is beginning to look more and more accurate.

Championship Standings

Drivers’ Standings

1 – J Button (Brit) Brawn 84 points

2 –R Barrichello (Bra) Brawn 69

3 –S Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 59

4 –M Webber (Aus) Red Bull 51.5

5 – K Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 40

6 – L Hamilton (Brit) McLaren 37

7 – N Rosberg (Ger) Williams 30.5

8 – F Alonso (Spa) Renault 26

9 – T Glock (Ger) Toyota 24

10 – J Trulli (Ita) Toyota 22.5

Constructors’ Standings

1 –Brawn-Mercedes 153 points

2 –RedBull-Renault 110.5

3 –Ferrari 62

4 –McLaren-Mercedes 59

5 – Toyota 46.5