Button relishes challenge of “unforgiving” Suzuka

2013 Japanese Grand Prix

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Jenson Button says Suzuka is one of the most appealing circuits for a Formula One driver because it doesn’t allow them to get away with making mistakes.

“The thing I really like about Suzuka is that it’s such an unforgiving track,” said Button ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

“On most circuits, if you run wide or out-brake yourself, you invariably end up just running onto the Tarmac run-off, so you can easily get back onto the track without any penalty.

“At Suzuka, if you run wide through the Esses, or go off the track at the exit of the Degners, you’re going to find yourself in the gravel. And I like that – I think it rewards those who don’t make mistakes, and it makes for better racing, because you have to stay honest and focused.”

Button scored his only Japanese Grand Prix win to date two years ago. “My win there back in 2011 remains one of my most emotional victories,” he said, “because it was the first Japanese Grand Prix after the terrible tsunami that devastated the north of Japan – it was such an important event for the whole country.”

2013 Japanese Grand Prix

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Image © McLaren/Hoch Zwei

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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10 comments on “Button relishes challenge of “unforgiving” Suzuka”

  1. gravel traps are better than Tilkedrome tarmac runoffs

    1. Actually, they’re mandated by the FIA.

      1. do you mean the gravel traps are mandated or the tarmac runoffs are mandated by the FIA?

        To my understanding, tarmac meets the safety requirements more easily, but motocross needs gravel traps and in order for them to meet F1 safety standards they have to be significantly larger or something like that. perhaps someone else knows more specifics or can provide a link for reference?

  2. Hear, hear!

  3. Toughest track in the F1 videogames. No wonder the drivers love it though, it will be 1000x as great a satisfying feeling getting a scorcher of a lap around Suzuka in a real F1 car rather than a virtual one!

    1. I was always terrible at Suzuka in F1 2010/2011. Also terrible at Spa-Francorchamps. I could never get the setup correct for high speeed turns and always ended up with horrendous over or understeer (sometimes, both, somehow).

      1. Often happens to me, in F2012, not just at Suzuka, on a heavy fuel load.

        1. Set ups in cm f1 games are hugely unrealistic to be fair. Try doing the vettel x1 challenge on suzuka on gt5. Gotta beat vettels own lap time ghost for gold, and that car is incredibly twitchy

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