Ferrari had enjoyed a front row lock-out in a rare morning qualifying session caused by Typhoon Hagibis but their race unravelled right at the start.
The blunder means that under Formula One rules the finishing positions and points will be calculated at the end of lap 52, and not the full race distance of 53 laps.
The qualifying has been moved to Sunday morning as a result just as it was in 2004 and 2010 in Japan but for those on the ground, the typhoon has caused much more than a timetable change.
The entire Saturday track programme, including qualifying, has been scrapped for safety reasons in the face of the approaching Super Typhoon Hagibis.
Dorna said it has signed a five-year deal with the Rio Motorpark which says it will complete a 4.5km track in Deodoro, in the west of the city, next year.
Leclerc said in Suzuka ahead of the weekend's typhoon-threatened Japanese Grand Prix that team principal Mattia Binotto had held talks with both drivers to iron out a "misunderstanding".
Ginieel De Villiers seals superb victory in Rally of Morocco.
The Spaniard will only drive in seven of the 14 races on the 2020 calendar, with Sebastien Loeb who is contracted for 2019 and 2020, likely to feature in the other seven.
A victory for Hamilton in Suzuka to follow his triumph in Russia will leave only Finland's Bottas able to pass the Englishman.
Organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), the event will take place from February 22 to 27.
The win in Thailand gave Marquez an insurmountable lead over closest rival Andrea Dovizioso.
The win in Buriram gives him an insurmountable lead over closest rival Andrea Dovizioso with four races left in the season.
The 20-year-old Frenchman Quartararo clocked 1min 29.719sec in qualifying, just ahead of Spaniards Maverick Vinales and Marc Marquez.
Pole sitter Charles Leclerc gave Sebastian Vettel a slip-steam but was complaining vigorously on the team radio as the German pulled clear.
The Cyprus triumph was Nasser’s 73rd career MERC event success.
