2006 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX – PREVIEW
SUPER AGURI F1 TEAM heads for Round 17 of the 2006 Formula
One World Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix. The SAF1
Team, which was ‘Born in Japan’, has been eagerly
awaiting its ‘home race’ at the Suzuka Circuit
and the team’s arrival in Japan this week has been enthusiastically
anticipated by Japanese and international racing fans alike.
The Honda-owned Suzuka Racing Circuit is situated on Honshu,
the largest of the Japanese islands. Considered by many to
be a true drivers’ circuit, the 18-turn, figure-of-eight
track is unique in the Formula One calendar. A lap of the
track begins with a fast 7th gear bend that tightens to lead
into a series of fast S-bends. Spoon Curve and the legendary
‘130R’ are the other great challenges of the track,
with possible overtaking opportunities in the Casio Triangle
chicane and occasionally at the first corner or at the Turn
11 Hairpin.
Takuma Sato
“Suzuka will be extremely challenging both mentally
and physically for us this year. We are really upbeat after
a great race in Shanghai and we should have a very strong
package now. Suzuka has an equal number of the right and left-
hand corners and most of them lead straight into each other,
so it is important to have the absolutely right balance of
the car, which I believe we can achieve after our successful
testing at Silverstone last month. We are firmly concentrating
on performing well at this race as this will be not only our
first, but our only chance to visit Suzuka this year, so we
are passionate to have a good weekend for our fans. I cannot
wait to share the massive support that I have had over the
years as I am sure that all the team will feel it.”
Sakon Yamamoto
“This really is my home grand prix because I was born
very close to Suzuka. When I was eight years old I went to
see the F1 race there and ever since that day I have wanted
to be an F1 driver. So I joined the Suzuka Kart Racing School
when I was 12 years old and that was my first step into motorsport.
I drove my first Formula car at Suzuka and what I could see
from the car was just like what I had been watching on the
TV! I have grown up with the Suzuka circuit, so I cannot help
but be excited to be going to the Japanese Grand Prix for
the first time as a Formula One driver and with a Japanese
team. Last weekend in China I finished an F1 race for the
first time, so this is a good step for me going to Suzuka
this week. I am really looking forward to seeing all of the
Japanese fans and I will try to do the best, even more than
usual, in front of my home crowd.”
Aguri Suzuki, Team Principal
"The Japanese Grand Prix is the most important race
of the year for our team. We developed the SA06 almost with
Suzuka in mind. There will be many Japanese and SUPER AGURI
F1 TEAM fans coming to Suzuka to support us this week and
the atmosphere will be amazing when we arrive. I hope that
Taku and Sakon will have a good race and I know that the team
will be giving 110% at their home grand prix."
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