Jolyon Palmer heads to Japan aiming to erase from his memory and that of his team a poor race weekend in Malaysia.
The Renault driver was pretty much running on his own in Sepang and heading for a reasonably good result until two spins dropped him down the ranks, much to Cyril Abiteboul's displeasure.
"The team had a tough weekend that ended with a bad race," said the Renault Sport F1 boss.
"Apart from qualifying, we couldn’t get the car working properly as we had done in previous races.
"Jolyon was in a similar place to Nico before he spun his car twice, which made him lose a few positions and ultimately led to bad results.
"It’s the last time we want to see this and we will take the necessary measures to better understand our lack of performance this weekend.
"I am confident that we will recover and will be back on the track in Suzuka."
Palmer was more relaxed about the issue, perhaps because he no longer has anything to lose given his departure from the team next season.
"Malaysia was a frustrating weekend, but in Japan we should be stronger," said the Briton.
"We can take some positives from Sepang. Back-to-back races are good, especially after a disappointing weekend, as it means we can put it behind and aim to do a better job in Japan."
Like many of his colleagues, the 26-year-old appreciates Suzuka and its multiple challenges.
"It’s an old-school circuit, highly unique especially the first sector which is fast and flowing with quick changes of direction.
"The middle sector is cool with the two Degners, which are quick and crucial to get right. 130R is mega and the chicane features a good overtaking spot.
"It’s three challenging, but enjoyable, sectors and I went fairly well there last year, so looking forward to it."
