Jenson Button has topped both of Friday’s practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
The Briton, who extended his contract with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes outfit earlier in the week, was 0.17s quicker than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso in the afternoon session, having edged out his team-mate Lewis Hamilton in Practice 1.
Red Bull Racing’s soon-to-be double World Champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest in both sessions, despite suffering an off at Degner 2 in Practice 1.
The 24-yea-old German damaged his front-wing courtesy of minor contact with the outside wall having lost control of his RB6 through Degner 1.
Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber was fourth fastest in the afternoon, improving one position from his morning effort.
Fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo was 23rd and 22nd in Practice 1 and 2 respectively for Hispania, while Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan substituted for the team’s second driver Tonio Liuzzi in the morning session.