F1 Suzuka - Preview (VMM)

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Woking, United Kingdom, Oct 01, 2010

Jenson Button

�I�ve spent such a large part of my Formula 1 career working in Japan that I almost consider it something of a second home nowadays. Tokyo is one of the greatest cities in the world � just an endlessly exciting place to discover and explore, and Suzuka is the perfect venue for the Japanese Grand Prix � one of the world�s truly great circuits, and a supreme challenge for any racing driver.


�I love the whole Suzuka experience � the fact that it�s a real trek to reach from Europe, the amusement park that you walk through to get to the paddock, the incredibly loyal and friendly Japanese fans � who cheer me on all weekend � and the whole atmosphere, which is invariably extremely tense and frantic, because the race always plays such a decisive role in the outcome of world championships.

�I�ve had some great results at Suzuka, but I�ve never won in Japan. I think it�s a circuit that suits my style � it�s all about scrubbing off as little speed as possible through the corners and maintaining a very smooth and precise rhythm: get it wrong and you�re usually scrabbling to regain your momentum for several more corners. It�s a punishing place.

�I think the world championship is still completely open: obviously, there�s no room for mistakes, but any of the top five drivers could easily steal the title. It might seem a disadvantage to be behind in the points standings, but, make no mistake, I know I can win this championship. I�m still as determined as ever to keep the number one on my car for 2011.�

Lewis Hamilton

�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.�

Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

�The bald facts show that we�ve only managed to get one car to the finish of each of the last four grands prix. While that doesn�t make for positive reading, it�s perhaps too stark an illustration of our overall competitiveness. And it certainly doesn�t reflect the level of dedication and commitment that�s come from every single team member.

�We have worked with unstinting focus and dedication throughout this whole season. And our current positions in both the drivers� and constructors� world championships are just the spur we need to raise our game and attack these final four races of the season with real vigour.

�Of course, any team would tell you that it deserves to have scored more points this season, but we�ve been unusually unfortunate recently. As an organisation, of course, we don�t rely on luck � but I�m optimistic in thinking that our fortunes are due a change, and that we can all raise our game as we head into these final four races.

�Perhaps our recent misfortunes are exactly what�s needed to strengthen our approach and further narrow our focus. We are on the attack: we know all about taking the fight to the end, and I know I can rely on every single individual within this organisation to make sure we�re hitting with absolutely everything we have until the very end of the season.�

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