Lewis Hamilton is determined to keep his run of success going and satisfy his ambition to win at Suzuka.
The Mercedes driver has won the last two grands prix to move into the championship lead but has never won at Japan’s classic circuit.
“Suzuka is the one track I want to win at. I have a serious target there,” he said.
Hamilton won the Japanese Grand Prix when at Fuji in 2007 but his best result at Suzuka is a third in 2009.
The race, which is held this season on 5 October, has been dominated in recent years by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, who won in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 and finished second to Hamilton’s then McLaren team-mate Jenson Button in 2011.
A determined Hamilton said: “Jenson won there so I’ve had the car to win there but I didn’t utilise it – that’s not going to be the case next week.”