Next weekend, Lucky Strike BAR Honda will be competing in the final round of the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship.

The last stop of the season will see the team racing in Japan in front of the thousands of fanatical supporters that descend upon the Suzuka circuit each year.

Widely considered one of the only true driver's circuits remaining on the calendar, Suzuka was originally built as a test track for BAR's engine partner, Honda, and is a real test for both car and driver.

The technical track features a unique figure-of-eight layout, and a challenging mix of fast and slow corners. The Japanese circuit also contains one of Formula One's classic corners, 130R, which has been revised this year to provide a faster, more sweeping curve which turns in quicker, and also removes the bump in the centre of the curve that affected the balance of the cars.

The team has been using the time since the US Grand Prix to fit in some last minute testing before the final race of the season, and the imminent six week test ban. Third driver, Takuma Sato and test driver, Anthony Davidson, both undertook driving duties for three days at the Mugello circuit in Italy this week.

The Suzuka circuit is a favourite with both Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button. A highlight at the track for JV was when he finished sixth in 2000, but unfortunately both BAR's were forced to retire from the race last year.

Last weekend's US GP was a bitter-sweet one for the Brackley based squad, and while Button lead and looked like finishing on the podium, both drivers were ulitmately forced to retire - mechanical woes stopping them in their tracks while on course for points.

"It has been a highly disappointing season with a lot of bad luck," said Villeneuve, "This continued in Indy last weekend when both Jenson and I were not able to finish the race. It is difficult when you work very, very hard and do not get the results that you know you can achieve. The Japanese GP will be challenging and a lot will depend on how the tyres perform compared to the opposition. It would be nice to finish with a positive result in Suzuka.

"In general Suzuka is an amazing track. It is one of the most beautiful race tracks that we still have on the Grand Prix calendar. I don't really like the chicane and the hairpin is not fun, but it's okay and it's logical. There are a lot of difficult and demanding high-speed corners. It is difficult to get a rhythm. When you do a good lap at Suzuka it feels really, really good. Out of all the tracks we currently race on, Suzuka is my favourite track. I like racing in Japan. It's the last race of the year and it should be an exciting end to the season for the championship."

Button has competed at Suzuka in an F1 car three times, finishing in sixth place last year, seventh in 2001 and fifth in his first year there in 2000. As such it is no surprise he is a fan of the track.