Friday favourite: Why McNish remains enthralled by unforgiving Suzuka

Allan McNish has never enjoyed much success at Suzuka. Only ever entered in three races at the 3.608-mile circuit which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the Scotsman was withdrawn from the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix on medical advice following a 175mph qualifying crash and managed a best finish of third in his two prior visits with Porsche in the FIA GT Championship.

But his love for the Honda-owned circuit is deep-rooted, having spent many a day pounding around testing for McLaren to develop its Honda V12 engine for the 1991 Formula 1 season. When Autosport asks for his favourite track, there isn't a moment's hesitation in picking Suzuka above Le Mans - the scene of three 24 Hours victories - or Sebring, where he won the 12 Hours four times.

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“I always loved it from the first moment I sat on the circuit,” says McNish of Suzuka. “It had a natural feel to it. It was a challenge, a lot of elevation change.

“And there was grass right at the edge of the circuit, it was quite narrow, so it really bit you in the arse if you made a mistake. You had to respect the circuit and it was a challenge to get it right. But when you did, it was a great feeling.”

McNish acknowledges there was also “a romantic side” to visiting the track, before signs had English translations for place names.

“It was purely Japanese, the writing everywhere, so to even make your way to go to Suzuka was a bit of a challenge,” he says. “It brought this romantic sort of adventure side of it out and the circuit itself was a bit of an adventure as well. I loved it then, love it today.

“And one of the main things I love about it most is that it hasn’t changed fundamentally very much at all, it hasn’t