SUZUKA, Japan (AFP) - The qualifying sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix were cancelled and moved to Sunday because of the threat of a typhoon scheduled to hit the Suzuka track.
Typhoon Ma-on is due to hit the region at 9:00 am local time (0000 GMT) on Saturday and officials have decided to close the track because of concerns over possible winds of up to 200km/h.
The sport's governing body, the FIA, confirmed the cancellation and a revised schedule includes pre-qualifying and qualifying taking place on Sunday morning before the race.
"On the advice of the local Japanese authorities, given the extreme weather forecast, circuit officials have proposed the closure of the Suzuka circuit on Saturday," the FIA said in a statement.
"The stewards of the meeting have accepted their proposal and have cancelled all the sessions scheduled to take place on that date. There will be a revised timetable for Sunday."
The pre-qualifying session is now scheduled to take place at 9:00 am local time, followed by the grid-deciding qualifying session at 10:00 am with the race still due to take place at 2:30 pm local time on Sunday.
The typhoon, which is yet to hit land, has intensified in strength to a super typhoon but it is understood that once it has passed through the weather will improve significantly.
The continuation of the event, however, still depends on the state of the track once the typhoon has passed through the area and teams have battened down the hatches to limit damage.
BAR-Honda team principal David Richards said: "Clearly it is an unfortunate situation, more thinking of the fans actually out there, the poor people that have actually sat in the grandstands today."
There was limited running here Friday for first and second practice, with world champion Michael Schumacher topping both sessions for Ferrari ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella's Sauber.
After taking part in practice Friday, BAR driver Jenson Button said: "It's very dangerous because with so much aquaplaning on the straights if someone spins on the straight it could be pretty disastrous.
"Every corner you get to you are on a knife-edge because there is so much aquaplaning. You couldn't race in the conditions you had at the end of the session -- it's just way way too wet."
Teams spent most of the afternoon packing away their equipment in preparation for the typhoon, with radio masts being taken down and everything being stored in the garages.
But Minardi team chief Paul Stoddart said: "The teams will survive I'm sure. We will batten down the hatches but lets hope the aftermath of the typhoon doesn't interfere with Sunday's race.
"I think it's bad enough we don't have qualifying tomorrow but if we also have to have a very poor or indeed an aborted race, I think that would be even worse for the fans."