Tréning poznačil dážď, v ťažkých podmienkach nakoniec zvíťazil Heikki Kovalainen na McLarene. Výsledky 1. tréningu na VC Japonska v Suzuke:
| 1 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:40,356 | - | 24 | |
| 2 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 1:40,648 | + 0,292 | 18 | |
| 3 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:40,806 | + 0,450 | 14 | |
| 4 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari | 1:40,985 | + 0,629 | 27 | |
| 5 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:41,421 | + 1,065 | 26 | |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:41,443 | + 1,087 | 15 | |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:41,532 | + 1,176 | 22 | |
| 8 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:41,577 | + 1,221 | 25 | |
| 9 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:41,821 | + 1,465 | 19 | |
| 10 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 1:42,188 | + 1,832 | 20 | |
| 11 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:42,332 | + 1,976 | 10 | |
| 12 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1:42,475 | + 2,119 | 15 | |
| 13 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:42,657 | + 2,301 | 13 | |
| 14 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:42,667 | + 2,311 | 27 | |
| 15 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:42,833 | + 2,477 | 17 | |
| 16 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 1:42,977 | + 2,621 | 14 | |
| 17 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:43,218 | + 2,862 | 11 | |
| 18 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:43,318 | + 2,962 | 17 | |
| 19 | Kamui Kobayashi | Toyota | 1:43,407 | + 3,051 | 16 | |
| 20 | Romain Grosjean | Renault | 1:43,572 | + 3,216 | 22 |
