Esteban Ocon is looking to extend his amazing record of finishing every Grand Prix he has started this weekend at the Suzuka International Racing Course, having finished in his twenty-four previous outings.
The Sahara Force India F1 Team racer has also finished inside the points in all bar one race in the current season, with the only time he missed out on the top ten coming in the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Ocon feels it is great to get into a rhythm around Suzuka, particularly in the high speed sections, and he knows to get a good lap, every corner and apex needs to be hit perfectly.
“Suzuka is a place I really enjoy,” said Ocon. “I had my first taste of it last year and it’s just so good. The high-speed sections are very special and when you have a car with a lot of grip, like in qualifying, you can find a nice rhythm.
“There is no real secret to being quick there: you just need to work on the details. You need to get everything perfect to complete a good lap.”
Ocon feels Formula 1 needs tracks like Suzuka on the calendar, and the Frenchman loves looking back at the historical events that have taken place at the circuit, with the battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s in particular in his mind.
“There is so much history in Suzuka,” said Ocon. “When you arrive there you think about the battles between Senna and Prost all those years ago. We certainly need these sorts of tracks.
“The fans, as well, are great. Motorsport is massive in Japan and you see it the moment you arrive in the country. Last year, I saw a fan with a cap in the shape of a rear wing with a working DRS. It was really funny and I’m never going to forget it.”
