Alonso set for back-to-back weekends in Japan

Fernando Alonso is excited to double-up on racing in Japan this season. He will compete for McLaren this weekend in Suzuka and then move to Fuji ready for the next chapter of the WEC.

The consensus from the paddock is that Suzuka is one of the best tracks on the calendar. Alonso is the latest driver to be added on to this list.

"I love Suzuka - it's one of the best tracks of the year. I've had some great memories there - 2006 is a personal highlight," Alonso said in an interview on F1i.

It's a good job Alonso likes spending time in Japan. He has an endurance challenge of his own staying in the country for a couple of weeks but is pleased he finally gets a chance to adjust to the time zone!

"This year I’ll finally be able to get used to the time zone, as I’ll be there for two weeks, one week in Suzuka and one in Fuji," Alonso added.

As Alonso enters his final few races in an F1 cockpit, it's still clear he has the excitement of a young driver making his debut in the sport.

"The first sector is quite impressive, and when everything works well, and you’re confident in the car you can really push through the Esses," added Alonso.

The Spaniard is currently inside the top 10 in the drivers' standings. But he faces strong competition from both Force India drivers.