Max Verstappen: Suzuka is always a great circuit to go racing at.

As a Team, we have had a lot of special memories here over the years including winning last year's Constructors' Championship as well as winning my second Drivers' Championship here too. It has been nice to have had a break with family and friends before the racing starts and always fun to be able to spend some time in Tokyo too. The last race in Melbourne was unfortunate and these things happen, however we achieved nine race wins in a row, which is an impressive feat, so we are looking to come back even stronger for this weekend. The Team is feeling confident for Suzuka: it is an iconic circuit and is always fun to drive. The track has a lot of high speed corners and high degradation and we need to ensure that we optimise our performance where we can, especially with rain forecasted for this weekend. I am looking forward to getting back in the car and ready to fight for the win this weekend.

Sergio Perez: I am looking forward to this week, Japan is always a great race on the calendar and this year we are going a lot earlier in the season, which will make things interesting.

I always love going to Tokyo before the race week starts, the food in Japan is one of my favourite things so I will be making sure I enjoy that before heading to Suzuka to focus on the race. This circuit always provides exciting racing and the race down into turn one is iconic in the sport - it's fun if you come out on top there! The weather can sometimes really influence things here, with the rain that often comes and this time of year looks like it could be the same, so we will need to maximise the moments we get with the car to perfect the set up. Australia was not the best time for the Team, was a shame the penalty we had plus the damage on the race but we have overcome moments like this before. We want to be back on the podium this weekend.

Stats & Facts

• The Team has fond memories in Japan, having clinched a championship in each of its last two visits to Suzuka. Max claimed the 2022 Drivers' Championship by winning here, while his victory in 2023 sealed last year's Constructors' Championship for Oracle Red Bull Racing.

• Max is seeking to be the first driver to take pole in the opening four races of a Formula One season since Lewis Hamilton did so nine years ago, in 2015.

• Not only has Oracle Red Bull Racing been the quickest car in qualifying at each of the first three races this season, but it has also been quickest in the speed trap in two of them, with Max and Checo 1-2 in top speeds in Melbourne.

• Max is currently 39 laps short of leading 3,000 laps in his F1 career, a landmark only previously reached by three drivers (Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Seb Vettel).

• Checo won the fourth race of the 2023 season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as F1 heads to Japan for the fourth race of the season this year. Max won the Japanese GP by 19.387 seconds in 2023.