Friday: The Mercedes Untouchable at Suzuka

Lewis Hamilton (no.44) – 2nd and 1st

The Briton is delighted to be at Suzuka, to drive on a circuit so rich in history and to be competitive there: The gap changes from circuit to circuit between us and the other cars, but it seems quite good so far this weekend. Coming here to one of the most demanding circuits for downforce and being so competitive is fantastic. It’s incredible what the team has achieved. The pace looks good, but it’s a layout that’s very tough on the tires, especially at the rear; at one moment you have the pace for a single lap and at another, you’re set for a long stint, so it’s a very fine balance.

The rest of the weekend will be crucial, with the qualifications and unpredictable weather, but this does not disturb his desire to battle on the track: « The qualification will be very important because it is quite difficult to overtake here. We don’t know what to expect with the weather this weekend; it’s a demanding circuit but we must always be ready for anything. I just want to race. »

Nico Rosberg (No. 6) – 1st and 2nd

The German driver is delighted with the performance of his Mercedes and congratulates his entire team for the work done: « It has been a very, very good day for us. Thanks to the team for this great car, we are very fast on a lap and also with fuel. My long stint was very good this afternoon, so I am confident we will have a good race here. »

There are still things to perfect for Rosberg to be fully satisfied, but he is thrilled to be at Suzuka: « There is still work to be done tonight to find the perfect balance for this ‘old school’ track. It was a real pleasure to drive on this fantastic circuit today. And the atmosphere is great, there are already a lot of fans and they are very enthusiastic. »