Pedro de la Rosa led the team’s charge and was never as much as challenged as he went on to secure the session’s top position with a time of 1:30.532.

However, despite the Spaniard’s strong performance, the team’s morning wasn’t without problems.

Midway through the hour-long run smoke and flames emerged from the back of Kimi Raikkonen’s MP4-20 and the Finn soon retired with a suspected engine problem.

It is now likely that the car will require a fresh unit and Raikkonen will be pushed back ten places on Sunday’s grid.

Trouble also struck Toyota whose third driver Ricardo Zonta also pulled to the side of the circuit with technical issues.

Despite the retirement the Brazilian still managed to finish the session second fastest with a 1:31.075.

BAR’s Jenson Button (1:32.043) was second fastest ahead of a charging David Coulthard (1:32.229) in his Red Bull RB1.

McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya (1:32.321) recovered to fifth late in the session to finish ahead of the two Renaults of Fernando Alonso (1:32.370) and Giancarlo Fisichella (1:32.470).

Talk in the paddock continued to centre on the new-for-2006 Honda B team.

There was suggestions an announcement confirming their entry would come before the circus leaves Suzuka on Friday.

The man tipped to lead the team, BAR’s Takuma Sato (1:32.791), was eighth fastest.

Special mention should also be given to Jordan’s reserve driver Sakon Yamamoto.

The Japanese rookie, on his first official Formula One outing, finished the morning almost a full second quicker than the team’s regulars Narain Karthikeyan and Tiago Monteiro.