Max Verstappen said he found Japan’s Suzuka circuit “intimidating” the first time he navigated a Formula 1 car around the figure-eight layout with its high-speed corners and narrow confines.

No longer daunted by Suzuka, the track looks like an ideal bounce-back destination for Verstappen. In the last F1 race two weeks ago in Australia, a fire on his right-rear brakes forced him out on the fourth lap — ending a nine-race victory string.

“If you look at Melbourne performance-wise, I think we were quick, but we didn’t finish the race,” Verstappen said. “So that’s not ideal, but our car normally likes the higher-speed corners, so hopefully we can show that again this weekend.”

That’s what’s expected on Sunday from the three-time defending F1 champion.

He was the quickest in Friday’s first practice session. The second session was dampened by a light rain with most teams deciding not to run in the damp to save tyre wear. Verstappen was among those sitting out.

Verstappen clocked 1 minute, 30.056 seconds in the first practice, .181 ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and .213 up on Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, winner of the Australian GP.

Verstappen won his second Formula 1 season title at Suzuka in 2022, and he dominated in Japan last season as he won his third straight title.

That race was only six months ago. The Japanese race has been moved to the beginning of the F1 calendar in 2024, dovetailing perfectly with a big weekend in the cherry blossom season across the Japanese archipelago.

Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, a weather condition that often greeted the race when it was run in the fall or autumn.

Verstappen won this season’s first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which has been partly overshadowed by the alleged conduct of team principal Christian Horner toward a team employee.

Verstappen was asked in Japan about his future with Red Bull, amid rumours about a move to Mercedes.

“I’m very happy where I’m at,” he said. “And, yeah, we want to keep it that way.”

“I have a contract with Red Bull until 2028,” he added. “After that, I first want to see if I actually even want to continue.”

Ferrari’s Sainz said closing the gap on Red Bull could be difficult. “Last year (September) we were, I think, 0.7-0.8 seconds off Red Bull here,” he said. “So it’s time to see where we are this year and see if we can be at least closer.”

Sainz will be replaced next season at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton, so he’s job hunting. And he missed the second race of the season with an appendicitis operation.

“I stayed in Australia for a week and started going back to the gym,” Sainz said. “Still not lifting heavy numbers like I used to do in the past.”