Before racing in F1 I had never travelled to Japan. After my first race there in 2015, this race weekend has become one of my FAVOURITE! The reasons are many: I enjoy the track layout, the FANS are absolutely amazing, passionate and very polite and the Japanese culture is just so different and attractive. The presents I get from Japanese fans are probably the most special ones I receive throughout the whole year. You can see they really think of ways to surprise you… I always receive a Spanish flag signed by the fans and they also wish me luck in a sort of Japa-Spanish language! They always tell me to push a lot and to go 'BANZAI', which is something I like to see, it motivates me! Other presents I always receive there are typical Japanese food and chocolates. Sushi is one of my favorite things to eat. Luckily, nowadays you can eat it nearly everywhere, but I have to say that the sushi you find in Japan is the best. There are a couple of sushi bars close to the circuit that I always go to, but something else I really like to eat when in Suzuka is KOBE BEEF – it has such a lovely flavor and just melts in your mouth, it's amazing!

As I am racing in Japan this year, I first came to Suzuka this winter, for some Super Formula series testing. It wasn't much, just two half days. Then I had the first round of the season here. It's a really impressive circuit, with some incredible high speed parts and the fantastic first sector. It is now one of my FAVOURITE tracks, even though it also has a sad place in my heart because of what happened to JULES (Bianchi) in 2014. I have enjoyed my time in Japan. In fact, I find myself liking it more and more, especially because of their CULTURE and the way the people are, so polite and how they treat one another. It's nice and yet so different to anything I have experienced before. I have enjoyed discovering it and now I look forward to my F1 race weekend there.