“The first two Japanese Grands Prix of my Formula 1 career were held at the Fuji Speedway. While that’s a great circuit, on arrival at Suzuka for the first time last year, it was clear that this was one of the great racetracks of the world.
“It’s a real driver’s circuit – you need to be committed and precise to do well there, and there’s no room for error either: no Tarmac run-off, and all the barriers are pretty close, so any mistake is going to hurt your chances big-time.
“It’s also a place with a lot of history. Before I first went there, it was a place I always associated with Senna and Prost, and their incredible rivalry. But it only ever existed on the television screen – walking the track for the first time, and knowing I was standing on the same spot of Tarmac where two giants of the sport traded blows was an exciting experience.
“Suzuka is very much unfinished business for me. I raced the best I could last year, but our car just wasn’t fast enough. This year, I’m holding nothing back – I need a strong result to get my title hopes back on track, and that will be my complete focus from the moment I first sit in the cockpit on Friday morning.
“Now is not the time to hold back; now is the time to fight.”
