F1: non-instant karma for Renault at Singapore Turn 14

Turn 14 is the same corner as Piquet had his crash that has led to dire consequences for so many people.

This time, the accident was light but the session was stopped for 11 minutes while the car was removed and the track cleared.

With half an hour or so to go, Button is currently the fastest in practice 1, with Kovalainen, Webber and Alonso behind him.

UPDATE

Friday's first qualifying session ended with a Brawn 1-2 with Webber clsoe behind. Alonso was just under .4 behind Webber in a Red Bull sandwich with Vettel less than .5 behind him and the two McLarens next, Hamilton the slower of the two, but even so his 7th on the board was only .53 off Rubens' time. Kubica pleased in eighth with Kimi 9th.

The idea that Vettel and Webber would take it easy to preserve engines has been scotched as they pushed hard throughout the session and did more laps than expected.

Grosjean was out after his shunt.

The Toyotas ran around about two seconds off the pace whilst all the new boys, including Fisichella were even further away, raising big questions as to whether in-season driver changes are a good idea. Sutil pushed his Force India car up to the front.

But it was Button who surprised: usually, for him, Friday practice is when he learns the track, the car and plays with set up. It's not usual for him to be particularly quick. But he lead the timing sheets for two thirds of the session although Hamilton did close up towards the end.

Yet, with less than 8 minutes to go, it was Barrichello who rained on Button's parade. Button promptly responded - but was still behind, with Kovalainen surprising with a lap with two personal best sectors to tuck in one and a half tenths behind Rubens, and just 0.004 ahead of Button, and then Webber tossed his hat into the ring, .25 behind Rubens.

Button consistently and persistently ran faster and faster in sector two but with a minute to goAlonso matched Button's best S2 time, bringing him up to third.

As the last seconds counted down, Hamilton was already in the pits, and everyone else was slowing - except for Button who put in a last-second dash around to finish the session second behind Rubens.