Image source, AP

We've only had a couple of days between races but there has been plenty going on in the world of F1.

Jenson Button has been keeping quiet on his future after reports emerged that he could announce his retirement at Suzuka this weekend, saying he has many "many possibilities" for next year.

Meanwhile, over at Lotus - who face an uncertain future amid mounting money problems - there was the unusual situation for poor Romain Grosjean having to beg for some dinner after the team was locked out of their hospitality tent on Thursday.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Suzuka

“Sebastian Vettel’s victory in Singapore five days ago has raised all sorts of questions, about Ferrari’s sudden rise, Mercedes’ fall and what both could mean. 

"It wasn’t just that Mercedes clearly dropped back into the field by more than a second a lap - although that was the biggest part of the equation - it was also that Vettel had such stunning pace in the race when he needed it. Will that continue here? Vettel was cautious. ’It’s a completely different track here but we’d hope,’ he said. ‘But I think you have to remain realistic. In a way it was a big surprise to see Mercedes struggling, which I don’t expect to be the case here.’ 

"And both Mercedes drivers said they believed it was a Singapore-specific problem, pointing out that was the race at which they were least dominant last year, too. Whether all are right about that, though, is something that will only begin to be revealed over the next three days.”

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton's seemingly imperious march towards a second successive world title stumbled in Singapore on Sunday as an unusually off key weekend for Mercedes culminated in Brit suffering his first retirement of the year.

Instead, the weekend belonged to Sebastian Vettel as he stormed to a third win of the season and one that may well have put him in the title race.

Vettel is now 49 points behind Hamilton, but will Mercedes bounce back in Japan this weekend?

OK, here is what is coming up this morning.

Ninety minutes of first practice gets under way at 02:00 BST and you can watch it live on BBC Two from 01:55.

Then there is a window of opportunity for a little nap before second practice begins at 06:00 BST, with coverage also on BBC Two from five minutes before.

Commentary on both sessions will also be on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Suzuka

Image source, Lotus

"At its best, Suzuka can look glorious, a riotous ribbon of grey snaking through Japan green, splashes of gaudy colour from the theme park, big blue skies, mountains and sea in the hazy distance. 

"Today is another kind of Japanese day. 

"The colour is uniform grey, everything soaked by the kind of pervading rain anyone familiar with, say, the north west of England will know only too well. Although it’s a fair bit warmer than it would be in, say, Macclesfield, on a day like this. 

"But, whatever the weather, pretty much any day is one to savour at this temple of motor racing, a place that provides a more extreme test for racing drivers and their cars than pretty much anywhere on earth.” 

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to our coverage of practice for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The day is just beginning over at Suzuka as Formula 1 prepares for the 14th race of the season, but for hardcore followers in Europe it is way into the small hours of the night. Or really early in the morning. 

Either way it is time to grab those energy drinks, fill up the coffee pot and settle in for the action, we've got ourselves a wet morning of practice on the cards...

Image source, Getty Images

For so long this season, the battle for the world championship looked certain to be a two-horse race...  

Indeed, at one point it looked as though one of those horses had made a sprint towards the finish line...

Image source, Getty Images

...but the Prancing Horse, expertly steered by world champion Sebastian Vettel, is possibly on the charge...