“I particularly like this race,” he said. “Because for the drivers it is yet another real challenge. Things get interesting immediately after the start line and the next five corners are even better. This combination of turns, all slightly uphill are pretty unique in Formula 1. They are tough on the driver and so, if you get it right they are exciting. But in fact the whole track is good fun. Basically, I like this circuit very much.”

“Ferrari usually goes well at this circuit,” he explained. “Suzuka has always been a good track for us, especially in qualifying. I have also had some fantastic races here from a personal point of view, such as my duel with Mika Hakkinen in 2000, which I reckon was one of my best ever races. It brings backs great memories. On top of that, we shouldn’t forget that Ferrari has a lot of fans in Japan and their support is a big plus factor for us.”

Schumacher is hoping to end the season with his eleventh win of the season and he knows his car will be competitive here but he is always cautious not to predict too much.