Formula One: Michael Schumacher unhurt after Suzuka crash

MARK Webber set the fastest time in practice for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, edging McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

Webber was ahead of the Mercedes-bound Hamilton by 0.214 seconds in the afternoon practice at the Suzuka circuit. Vettel was third, a further one-tenth back.

Michael Schumacher – who announced on Thursday that he will retire at season’s end – was tenth in practice. The Mercedes driver spun off the track at the Spoon Curve, slamming into a bank of tyres. He walked away from the incident and appeared unhurt. Scotland’s Force India driver Paul di Resta also lost control of his car at the same curve and was unable to continue.

Schumacher had spoken of his “relief” at finally deciding to retire, and his desire to finish the season strongly. But the 43-year-old paid the price for the mistake of dropping his right rear wheel onto the grass on the entry into the Spoon Curve, snapping the car sideways and into the barrier.

The error left Schumacher down in tenth place as the Red Bull of Webber set the pace, and the German admits the crash has put him on the back foot ahead of today’s qualifying.

He said: “I had to go to the medical centre which was a precaution from the FIA but I am 100% okay.

“I think I was already concentrating too much on the corner ahead of me and therefore had a wheel on the dirt and went off.

“ We will now have to work a lot off the track, in front of the computers, and try to find the best approach for tomorrow.”

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was fourth, ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. Lotus’s Romain Grosjean was sixth and moved in front of 2011 Japanese GP winner Jenson Button, who led much of the afternoon session but couldn’t stay ahead.

Williams driver Bruno Senna and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa were eighth and ninth respectively. Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen, who is third in the standings and maintains title hopes despite not having won a race in his comeback season, had a KERS problem and finished 14th.

Vettel trails Alonso by 29 points in the standings and is aiming to make up more ground in tomorow’s 53-lap race. The German driver won the previous race in Singapore and has traditionally done well in Japan – winning here in 2009 and 2010. Alonso hasn’t won since the German GP in July and his series lead has been cut with six races to go.

Webber has won twice this year – at Monaco and Silverstone – and is fifth in the standings.