Summary Hamilton clocked a quickest lap of one minute, 34.157 seconds in warm conditions.
SUZUKA, Japan (AP) - Lewis Hamilton topped the time sheets in Friday s first free practice for the Japanese Grand Prix with runaway championship leader Sebastian Vettel third fastest amid spins, run-offs and a flying wheel.
Hamilton clocked a quickest lap of one minute, 34.157 seconds in warm conditions, three tenths clear of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Red Bull s Vettel, who can clinch a fourth successive Formula One world title this weekend, lapped in 1:34.768.
Fernando Alonso, second in the standings behind Vettel, was sixth quickest.
Vettel can become only the third man to win four titles in a row on Sunday if he wins and Ferrari s Alonso fails to finish in the top eight.
The German has won the last four grands prix to open a 77-point lead with only 125 available from the last five races.
Hamilton, who complained Vettel s dominance was becoming boring after his rival s victory at South Korea last weekend, threw his car into Suzuka s high-speed corners, setting fastest lap after fastest lap.
Marussia s Jules Bianchi hit a wall heavily at turn nine early on before Williams driver Pastor Maldonado lost a wheel coming through the sharp "Spoon" curve.
"I lost a wheel," he coolly informed his team over the radio, the bouncing projectile well snaffled by marshals as it headed towards a wall.
