Japanese GP: McLaren-Mercedes is thirsty for victory

McLaren’s goals for the end of this season are clear. The team wants victories and, above all, to take the third place from its rival, Scuderia Ferrari, in the Constructors’ Championship. The Woking car, the MP4-24, is competitive and will receive specific upgrades for the Japanese track. Meanwhile, Ferrari has stopped the development of its current car, the F60. Therefore, the goal is perfectly achievable for McLaren-Mercedes.

In Singapore, Lewis Hamilton had to deactivate and reactivate his KERS system after telemetry suggested a possible and threatening problem. Aside from this, Hamilton and his McLaren-Mercedes were flawless during the crucial sessions of the weekend, the qualifications and the race. Hamilton controlled the race and, thanks to incisive driving during key moments, the English driver secured a superb victory, somewhat making up for his blunder in the final lap at Monza. Kovalainen was completely overshadowed, but his seventh place offers valuable points for the Constructors’ Championship, putting McLaren 12 points behind its historical rival, Scuderia Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton – Racing Driver

I feel like I’ve waited my entire life to race at Suzuka. So, as you can imagine, I’ll be really excited when practice starts on Friday morning. Since I was little, I’ve raced on Suzuka in video games, and although it gives a good idea of the track, nothing can replace reality. It seems to be a circuit for true drivers. The first sector, including the esses, is very demanding, and the high-speed corners towards the end of the lap will probably require real precision and a perfectly balanced car. I’m also really looking forward to returning to Japan; it’s one of my favorite countries, and I love driving in front of the Japanese fans. It should be a great weekend.

Heikki Kovalainen – Racing Driver:

I had one of my best Formula 1 races in Japan, at the Fuji Grand Prix in 2007 in the rain, where I finished second behind Lewis. So I have some fantastic memories of the country. Although I am really looking forward to racing on a historic track like Suzuka for the first time, I don’t think the circuit will suit our package. It’s a bit of a mix between Silverstone and Istanbul, with high-speed corners. It will require a car with a lot of downforce and good mechanical and aerodynamic balance. But we won’t give up, the improvements we’ve made to the car for the rest of the season have been truly remarkable and I think we’re going to Japan confident that we can do a very good job.

Martin Whitmarsh – Team Principal:

« Along with Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka is one of the most fabulous F1 circuits and the one that every driver savors. It is certain that McLaren has had more than its share of spectacular moments there. We have won at Suzuka on six occasions, and I clearly remember the 2005 race when Kimi [Räikkönen] took the lead on the last lap, one of the most spectacular Grand Prix I have ever witnessed. For 2009, we are going to Japan knowing that victory will not be easy to achieve, but the upgrades we tested in Singapore, particularly some useful changes to the floor, should give us good momentum, and it will be interesting to see what pace we have compared to our rivals.»