Hamilton excited to race Suzuka for first time

(GMM) He has raced at almost 50 grands prix, won 11 times and is the reigning world champion, but Lewis Hamilton is yet to race on arguably the greatest drivers' formula one circuit.

In 2007 and 2008, during the 24-year-old Briton's first seasons in the sport, the great Suzuka was missing from the calendar while the Toyota-owned Fuji Speedway held the Japanese grand prix.

Hamilton, who won at Fuji in 2007, won Sunday's Singapore grand prix, and now travels immediately to the second leg of the double-header in Japan.

"I've never been to Suzuka but I've heard that apart from Monaco it is the best circuit," he told reporters when asked about the coming weekend's challenge.

"I grew up watching it and I always wanted to go there," Hamilton added.

However, quite apart from McLaren's problems this year on circuits with a lot of fast corners, he is not sure he will be fully up to speed by the end of his first Suzuka outing.

"I am excited to be there. It will be a very tough weekend," said Hamilton.

"It's tough to learn and master it in one weekend."