Adrian Sutil topped the timesheets in a rain-affected second Japanese practice session.
The German set the fastest lap late on, despite running wide at 130R, in a session which saw little running due to a lack of wet weather tyres.
Sebastian Vettel was some six tenths of a second behind Sutil in second, with the second Force India of Tonio Liuzzi rounding out the top three.
Both Brawn GP cars of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button set no time.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Sutil Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:47.261 5 2. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:47.923 + 0.662 6 3. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:47.931 + 0.670 4 4. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:47.983 + 0.722 5 5. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:48.058 + 0.797 8 6. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:48.691 + 1.430 9 7. Alonso Renault (B) 1:48.693 + 1.432 5 8. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:48.737 + 1.476 6 9. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:48.802 + 1.541 11 10. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1:48.861 + 1.600 6 11. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:48.886 + 1.625 4 12. Kobayashi Toyota (B) 1:49.054 + 1.793 7 13. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:49.382 + 2.121 7 14. Grosjean Renault (B) 1:49.405 + 2.144 6 15. Fisichella Ferrari (B) 1:49.553 + 2.292 5 16. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:49.872 + 2.611 7 17. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:50.179 + 2.918 9 18. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) No time 19. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) No time 20. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes (B) No time
