Video: lap around the Suzuka circuit with Esteban Ocon

Every year many Formula 1 drivers declare their love for the Suzuka circuit, and Esteban Ocon is one of them. On the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix, the Alpine F1 driver spoke about the characteristics of this famous circuit while completing a lap on the simulator.

Esteban Ocon: “Hello everyone! I invite you to the Suzuka circuit – this is one of my favorite circuits and I am already looking forward to meeting it. Let’s take a ride!

Before the start of the lap we pass the last chicane: in the first corner we should not attack the curb too much, and in the second we make more use of it. Moreover, the asphalt there is quite uneven.

We activate the DRS system and then approach one of the fastest corners on the entire championship calendar – this is the first corner of the circuit. We turn off DRS manually – if this is not done, you may lose control of the rear of the car in the middle phase of the turn.

In the middle of a bend we try to maintain the highest possible speed – on these fast sections, where the direction of travel changes, the drivers experience the most intense sensations behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. !

It is very important to take each turn correctly to prepare for the next. Then we approach the hairpin bend – this is the slowest corner of the circle, and there you can easily lock the front wheels. To avoid this, normal braking balance is extremely important and you must also choose the correct braking points.

After the hairpin bend you can take a breather in the fast section and prepare for the two left turns that follow. At the entrance we attack as aggressively as possible, use the curb a bit and try to get into a very long straight stretch.

The next corner in these Formula 1 cars can be taken at full speed, after which we brake for 100 meters before entering the last chicane and coming out well.

So we drove around the Suzuka circuit!”