Japan is a very special place for us to race, particularly because of the local fans. They are so passionate and always show us a lot of support, which makes the experience there so unique. It was a difficult weekend for me last year, being in Suzuka for the first time since Jules’ accident. Obviously, it is a very sad memory that I will always associate with this Grand Prix. The track itself is very technical and demanding. It is one of the best to drive on in terms of its layout. It features high speed straights mixed with various corner combinations and the hairpin, all of which make it the iconic circuit that it is. It has different characteristics to the last few tracks we have raced on, so we will see how our recent developments will work there, especially in terms of the aerodynamics.

Suzuka is probably my favourite circuit of the whole season. It is the only track in the championship that has a figure of eight layout and, in some ways, it reminds me of the sort of tracks we played on when I was a little kid. Except that there’s nothing kid-like about this circuit, given that it features thrilling corners like 130R and that sequence of esses in the first sector. The other thing that makes the Japanese Grand Prix special is the fans: they’re incredible! No matter how early you turn up at the track, they’re there before you, waiting for you. And the feeling they have for you is unique and wonderful to experience. Last but not least, the weather at Suzuka is always unpredictable which means all sorts of things can happen in the race, which makes it particularly complex but also fascinating.

Our performance level was good in Sochi, which is how we managed to take our fourth straight pole position, but we know that in order to be at the front in Japan, every aspect of our work must be perfect. That’s the way we are going to approach the race in Suzuka, trying to extract all the available performance from the car package. If we can do that, then we hope to be able to be as competitive as we have been in recent races. Sebastian and Charles both adore this circuit. There is much that is special about it, from the sequence of corners in the first sector, to the incredible reception we get from the fans all weekend long. We hope they will be able to enjoy a thrilling race weekend.