Heikki Kovalainen a stabilit cel mai rapid tur de pe pista in primul antrenament de pe circuitul de la Suzuka, urmat de favoritul publicului Kazuki Nakajima. Ploaia a incurcat cea de-a doua sesiune de antrenamente, redusa la doar 13 minute. Pentru a evita eventualele accidentari, Kovalainen si cei doi piloti de la Brawn GP nu au luat parte la cel de-al doilea antrenament. Sutil a efectuat cinci tururi de pista, fiind cel mai rapid in partea a doua a zilei.
Antrenamente libere 1:
1. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes0 1:40.356
2. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) +0.292
3. Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) +0.450
4. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ferrari) +0.629
5. Sebastien Buemi (STR-Ferrari) +1.065
6. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +1.087
7. Fernando Alonso (Renault) +1.176
8. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) +1.221
9. Rubens Barrichello (Brawn-Mercedes) +1.465
10. Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) +1.832
11. Mark Webber (RBR-Renault) +1.976
12. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) +2.119
13. Jarno Trulli (Toyota) +2.301
14. Jaime Alguersuari (STR-Ferrari) +2.311
15. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) +2.477
16. Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) +2.621
17. Sebastian Vettel (RBR-Renault) +2.862
18. Jenson Button (Brawn-Mercedes) +2.962
19. Kamui Kobayashi (Toyota) +3.051
20. Romain Grosjean (Renault) +3.216
Antrenamente libere 2:
1. Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1:47.261
2. Sebastian Vettel (RBR-Renault) +0.662
3. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) +0.670
4. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +0.722
5. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) +0.797
6. Sebastien Buemi (STR-Ferrari) +1.430
7. Fernando Alonso (Renault) +1.432
8. Jarno Trulli (Toyota) +1.476
9. Jaime Alguersuari (STR-Ferrari) +1.541
10. Robert Kub