Daniil Kvyat is refusing to count on his strong return to form securing his future at Toro Rosso for 2017.
The Russian has had a tumultuous 2017 but his return to form is continuing at Suzuka with another strong performance.
Asked if that will mean a 2017 seat, Kvyat said on Saturday: "At the moment I'm just doing my job and not thinking about next season.
"I will continue to take this approach and hope it will be enough, but the situation at the moment looks quite good."
Kvyat admits that the last few months were hard to cope with, but he now seems happier both in and out of the car.
He confirmed: "Yes. Already for a few races now there is a sense of the situation returning to normal, and I'm much more comfortable not only in the car but also outside of it."
Kvyat was also asked about the title battle at Mercedes, and he said that fortunes appear to be swinging between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
"If I had to bet, I would choose Nico, but you never know what is going to happen," he said.
"Nico had a great qualifying again and today I would bet on him, but Lewis is able to reverse the situation."
Rosberg will start on pole tomorrow with Hamilton second, followed by the Ferrari pair of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.
