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A Lap of Suzuka with Jenson Button

On the downhill straight that begins the lap, I will reach a max speed of around 305km/h in top gear before entering the first corner, which is in fact the first part of a double-apex right-hander. I will take the first part in 5th gear at around 260km/h, braking again to around 150km/h in 3rd gear for the second apex. I then enter the very tricky section behind the pits. This demands an extremely responsive car, and you need to establish a good rhythm.

Through the first three corners of this complex, I hold 4th gear, taking the corners at around 210, 190, and 195km/h respectively. After this, I enter a right-hander, which is slightly slower, taken in 3rd gear at approximately 140km/h. This then leads into the long, uphill left-hand corner, in which I accelerate through 4th and 5th gear, reaching top gear and 290km/h on the next short straight before braking for the first of two right-hand corners. The first is taken at just under 210km/h in 4th gear, followed by a 2nd gear, 125km/h bend.

The circuit then passes under the bridge and down to the hairpin, reaching 270km/h in 5th before braking for this sharp left-hand corner, which I take at around 60km/h in 1st gear. The next section begins with a long right-hander, taken flat, and I reach nearly 300km/h in top gear before slowing to 190km/h for the first part of the Spoon Curve.

The second part of the Curve requires me to drop down to 3rd gear, and 145km/h, fighting understeer in order to exit cleanly onto the back straight which leads to 130R. I will take this daunting curve in top gear at 285km/h, left-foot braking to settle the car while attempting to keep the throttle wide open. I then reach the best overtaking opportunity on the circuit at the end of the next straight, taking this chicane in 1st gear, at a speed of 65km/h, before the run down the hill to the start/finish line.

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