Japanese GP

• Track features

  Famed for being the only Formula 1 track that crosses over itself, the Suzuka International Racing Course's iconic figure-of-eight layout provides enthralling racing as well as looking stunning from above.

  Combining rapid changes of direction with steep elevation changes, Suzuka is a busy lap. The first half is highly technical and begins downhill with two right-handers. Cars then head back uphill towards one of the most challenging sections of circuit on the calendar, the ‘S’ curves, which run from Turns 3 to 7. Bordered by grass and gravel traps, this rather narrow part of the circuit is where the changes of direction begin to come into full force as cars are required to snake through a series of left and right-handed corners.

  The circuit’s next-sternest test comes in the circuit’s high-speed second half. The 130R corner, Turn 15, is a high-speed left-hander that can be taken at around 190mph. Drivers can accelerate in the lead-up to the turn and line up a move under braking at the following chicane ahead of a DRS zone on the pit-straight.

  The Degner corners, Turns 8 and 9, and the Spoon curve, Turns 13 and 14, are also well worth paying attention to.

• What's it like in Japan?

  Without a doubt one of our favourite locations on the calendar. The food, of course, is a massive highlight, with dishes such as sushi, tempura, sashimi, ramen and Kobe beef. Or if you’ve got a particularly sweet tooth, then we’d recommend trying dorayaki, dango and matcha cookies.

  It’s a little way to travel, but you can catch the famous bullet train – which travels at speeds of up to 200mph – from Suzuka to Tokyo, and it is well worth the journey. Like Singapore, Tokyo is exceptionally clean and packed full of amazing high-rise buildings. And between those stunning buildings are a million and one things to do, from the Senso-Ji Temple to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and even a robot restaurant.

• F1 icebreaker

  Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…

  James Hunt (1976), Mika Häkkinen (1998, ’99), Ayrton Senna (1988, ‘90, ’91) and Alain Prost (1989) all clinched the Formula 1 World Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix.