LEAFIELD'S Super Aguri F1 Team heads for its 'home' Grand Prix at the Suzuka circuit tomorrow.

The team's principal, Aguri Suzuki, said the Japanese Grand Prix was the most important race of the year for the team.

He said: "We developed the SA06 almost with Suzuka in mind. There will be many Japanese and Super Aguri F1 Team fans coming to Suzuka to support us this week and the atmosphere will be amazing when we arrive.

"I hope we will have a good race and I know that the team will be giving 110 per cent at their home Grand Prix."

The Honda-owned Suzuka Racing Circuit is situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands. Considered by many to be a true drivers' circuit, the 18-turn, figure-of-eight track is unique in the Formula One calendar.

Driver Takuma Sato said: "Suzuka will be extremely challenging both mentally and physically for us this year. We are really upbeat after a great race in Shanghai and we should have a very strong package now.

"Suzuka has an equal number of the right and left-hand corners and most of them lead straight into each other, so it is important to have the absolutely right balance of the car, which I believe we can achieve after our successful testing at Silverstone last month.

"We are firmly concentrating on performing well at this race."

His team-mate, Sakon Yamamoto, was born close to Suzuka. He said: "When I was eight years old I went to see the F1 race there and ever since that day I have wanted to be an F1 driver.

"So I joined the Suzuka Kart Racing School when I was 12 years old and that was my first step into motorsport. I drove my first Formula car at Suzuka and what I could see from the car was just like what I had been watching on the TV!

"I have grown up with the Suzuka circuit, so I cannot help but be excited to be going to the Japanese Grand Prix for the first time as a Formula One driver and with a Japanese team.

"Last weekend in China, I finished an F1 race for the first time, so this is a good step for me going to Suzuka this week. I am really looking forward to seeing all of the Japanese fans and I will try to do the best, even more than usual, in front of my home crowd."