McLaren's double-points finish in Malaysia bodes well for the Woking-based outfit's prospects in Suzuka, the all-important home of engine partner Honda.
Team boss Eric Boullier believes McLaren can keep up the momentum, and that there's no reason it can't do just as well at the challenging but much appreciated venue.
"I know I can speak for the whole team when I talk about the Japanese Grand Prix being one of the most important milestones in the Formula 1 calendar for everyone at McLaren-Honda," says Boullier.
"It marks the end of the sequence of races in east Asia and, with Silverstone, a venue that very much feels like a second home."
Designed by Dutchman John Hugenholtz in 1962, Suzuka remains one of the oldest tracks on the F1 calendar.
"Suzuka circuit is steeped in a huge amount of racing history, and one that McLaren-Honda has played a significant part in, both as one team and as individual entities.
"Its fast, flowing corners and technical demands mean it fully deserves its legendary status and, combined with the unrivalled support we receive from the ever-enthusiastic Japanese fans, the warm hospitality and fascinating culture, it’s easy to see why we look forward to returning to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix each year."
Slowly but surely, McLaren is extracting itself from the doldrums as Honda reaches the end of a painful tunnel which dogged the performance and reliability of its hybrid power unit.
"Our double points finish in Sepang was great encouragement and reward for the relentless hard work happening behind the scenes in Woking and Sakura, and we’ll take this motivation to Suzuka, where we hope to achieve similar results.
"The race itself is sure to be dramatic – it often is at this prestigious circuit – so we hope to maximise the potential our package has shown recently and put on a good show for the incredible fans."
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