Trulli Fastest in First Qualifying - Japanese GP

Toyota driver Jarno Trulli set the quickest time in Sunday's pre-qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix in a session run on a drying circuit to mark his return to Formula One in style.

Heavy rain brought by Typhoon Ma-on, which forced organisers to abandon running on Saturday and move qualifying to Sunday morning, abated shortly before pre-qualifying although the session began under dark skies.

Trulli benefited from being the last man on track as he powered his Toyota around Suzuka in a time of 1:37.716 to finish ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.

World Champion Schumacher, running as the 12th man on track following his nightmare in China, had looked set to be the quickest man until Trulli went almost seven-tenths quicker.

Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher, another later runner, was third fastest ahead of the Jaguar of Mark Webber, Toyota's Olivier Panis and BAR-Honda's home driver Takuma Sato.

Giancarlo Fisichella was seventh for Sauber, Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello - winner of the last two Grands Prix, eighth and McLaren's David Coulthard and BAR's Jenson Button completed the top-ten.

Minardi driver Zsolt Baumgartner failed to set a lap time after spinning during his lap as he was caught out by the wet track conditions.

Pos Driver Team Time 1. Trulli Toyota (M) 1:37.716 2. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:38.397 + 0.681 3. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:38.864 + 1.148 4. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:39.170 + 1.454 5. Panis Toyota (M) 1:40.029 + 2.313 6. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:40.135 + 2.419 7. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:40.151 + 2.435 8. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:41.001 + 3.285 9. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:41.126 + 3.410 10. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:41.423 + 3.707 11. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:41.517 + 3.801 12. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:41.707 + 3.991 13. Villeneuve Renault (M) 1:41.857 + 4.141 14. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:42.054 + 4.338 15. Alonso Renault (M) 1:42.056 + 4.340 16. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) 1:42.434 + 4.718 17. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) 1:43.682 + 5.966 18. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:44.370 + 6.654 19. Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:45.415 + 7.699 20. Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) No Time All timing unofficial