Drivers summoned by stewards for ignoring yellows

At least five drivers have been summoned to appear before the stewards and face penalties for ignoring yellow flags during Saturday's qualifying session at Suzuka.

When Sebastien Buemi scraped his Toro Rosso down the barriers and deposited debris across the exit of the famous Spoon curve, the yellow flags and lights were waved and shone.

However, it was instantly apparent that some drivers - most notably the two Brawns driven by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello - set competitive sectors through the yellow flag zone.

Fernando Alonso, who did not subsequently make it through to the decisive Q3 phase, said he backed off, and was immediately making his view clear.

"I think everybody was improving their times (despite the yellow flags). I backed off. Other people didn't. We'll see what happens this afternoon," the Spaniard is quoted as saying by the BBC.

It is believed that Alonso and both BMWs, despite Nick Heidfeld lifting his arm as he drove past the yellows, were similarly summoned by the stewards.