- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 396,345
- Reaction score
- 43
It was the straw which broke the camel’s back for Yuki Tsunoda in Formula One: a final unleashing of road rage, with sparks flying on the tarmac and over the airwaves.
Disgruntled over a late intra-team swap at last year’s season-opener in Bahrain, Tsunoda was eager to vent his exasperation after the race concluded. As cars trundled aimlessly back to the pits, Tsunoda divebombed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo before swerving erratically – and dangerously – towards the second RB car. “Yeah thanks guys” Tsunoda ranted, sarcastically, over team radio. “I appreciate it.”
Ricciardo, generally not one to lose his cool, momentarily did: “What the f*** is wrong? I’ll save it... f***ing helmet.”
It is the instance of immaturity Tsunoda himself brings up, at the end of a 15-minute conversation with The Independent, which flicked a switch in his mind: the fiery blow-ups could not continue.
“I never felt controlling my emotions was the key to my success, it was just my natural character,” Tsunoda says, fully aware now that his audible frustrations were a hindrance to his development. A journey which takes him to the present day, to this weekend at his home race in Japan, and a spot in the Red Bull garage.
“My mindset would be to take my stress out on the track and then focus afterwards. These days, F1 is more political and has more sponsors. You need to find a balance. You don’t want a driver shouting emotions… the team wants to hear specific feedback.
“I had to change my approach for the future, after what happened with Daniel in Bahrain last year. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sticking around in F1. It’s the one area I’ve worked really hard at – and it’s helped change my mindset and be more serious.”
Eighty-nine races into his F1 career, Tsunoda will need all of that new-found composure in abundance as he takes on F1’s poisoned chalice: a seat alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
Many believed that 24-year-old Tsunoda deserved his crack this year anyhow, when Liam Lawson was picked to replace Sergio Perez by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner back in December. Yet after the most brutal F1 axing, following a torrid first two rounds for Kiwi racer Lawson, it is now Tsunoda who gets his long-awaited shot, in front of his adoring home faithful at Suzuka.
It is the front-of-the-grid opportunity Tsunoda has been craving since he made his F1 debut for the junior team in 2021. The Japanese driver spent last week in the simulator in Milton Keynes: one final audition before the real thing. By then Horner, uninhibited driver development chief Helmut Marko and the rest of the Red Bull executive pack had made their decision, opting to swap the two drivers.
Tsunoda (right) has replaced Liam Lawson (left) in the second Red Bull seat (AFP via Getty Images)
Tsunoda will be Max Verstappen’s new teammate at Red Bull (Getty Images)
It marks the biggest moment of Tsunoda’s career which has, so far, taken on an unorthodox nature. Having won the F4 Japanese Championship in 2018, Tsunoda moved to Switzerland to be closer to his 2019 F3 team, Jenzer Motorsport. At just 18 years old, it was a huge culture shock.
“I moved to Europe and to Switzerland and I missed my friends quite a lot,” he tells The Independent, prior to the announcement of his move to Red Bull. “I was struggling.”
Races: 89
Top-10 finishes: 26
Points: 94
Podiums: 0
Best race result: 4th (Abu Dhabi, 2021)
Best championship finish: 12th (2024)
Now though, he considers Faenza – in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, Ferrari territory – his home, with Racing Bulls’s HQ based in the city. With his recent promotion, however, he may want to order the moving vans.
“I actually like living in Europe more than Japan now,” he says. “I’m able to fully relax. I went back to Japan to mentally reset after Abu Dhabi [in December] and I spent some time with the Japanese fans… it was nice to get out of the racing environment.
“But it’s not my home. I like the atmosphere more in Europe.”
Tsunoda moved to Switzerland in 2019 at 18 years of age (LAT Images)
Tsunoda actually spent much of the off-season snowboarding in the Hakusan National Park, west of Tokyo. Yet attention quickly shifted to pre-season, where he underwent a “very good” training block in Dubai. He also appointed a new manager, former sportscar racer Diego Menchaca, and his outstanding performances in qualifying so far this year – fifth in Australia, ninth in China – point towards a driver at the peak of his powers.
Both inside and outside the cockpit, he is a happy man. How long can that last, though, in his new role as Verstappen’s teammate? The Dutchman has beaten his adversary on the other side of the garage in the last seven seasons.
Yet what should not be underestimated is Tsunoda’s eagerness to embrace pressure. By the Spanish Grand Prix in June, he will overtake mid-1990s racer Ukyo Katayama (95 grand prix starts) as the most experienced Japanese driver in F1. An event in Tokyo on Wednesday, which is expected to see all four Red Bull drivers present for a show-run, will see him line up in Red Bull gear in public for the first time since his promotion.
Tsunoda will race for Red Bull in front of his home fans at Suzuka on Sunday (Getty Images)
Over the next few months the spotlight will be firmly on Tsunoda, who has already stated he is targeting a dream spot on the podium this Sunday, as he looks to emulate compatriot Kamui Kobayashi’s result in 2012.
After four years in the sport, right in the glare of the Drive to Survive cameras in the paddock, Tsunoda has finally learned how and where to divert his energy: to the racetrack.
“The amount of attention you get in this sport… it’s a bit surprising,” he says.
“It’s hard to know how to act in front of the cameras. In my rookie season, I wasn’t natural. It wasn’t a smart or efficient use of my energy.
“But now I know how to manage myself. I enjoy having more responsibility. This year is a chance for me to step up and be a more complete driver.” That step up, however, would come quicker than anyone anticipated.
Continue reading...
Disgruntled over a late intra-team swap at last year’s season-opener in Bahrain, Tsunoda was eager to vent his exasperation after the race concluded. As cars trundled aimlessly back to the pits, Tsunoda divebombed his teammate Daniel Ricciardo before swerving erratically – and dangerously – towards the second RB car. “Yeah thanks guys” Tsunoda ranted, sarcastically, over team radio. “I appreciate it.”
Ricciardo, generally not one to lose his cool, momentarily did: “What the f*** is wrong? I’ll save it... f***ing helmet.”
It is the instance of immaturity Tsunoda himself brings up, at the end of a 15-minute conversation with The Independent, which flicked a switch in his mind: the fiery blow-ups could not continue.
“I never felt controlling my emotions was the key to my success, it was just my natural character,” Tsunoda says, fully aware now that his audible frustrations were a hindrance to his development. A journey which takes him to the present day, to this weekend at his home race in Japan, and a spot in the Red Bull garage.
“My mindset would be to take my stress out on the track and then focus afterwards. These days, F1 is more political and has more sponsors. You need to find a balance. You don’t want a driver shouting emotions… the team wants to hear specific feedback.
“I had to change my approach for the future, after what happened with Daniel in Bahrain last year. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sticking around in F1. It’s the one area I’ve worked really hard at – and it’s helped change my mindset and be more serious.”
Eighty-nine races into his F1 career, Tsunoda will need all of that new-found composure in abundance as he takes on F1’s poisoned chalice: a seat alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
Many believed that 24-year-old Tsunoda deserved his crack this year anyhow, when Liam Lawson was picked to replace Sergio Perez by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner back in December. Yet after the most brutal F1 axing, following a torrid first two rounds for Kiwi racer Lawson, it is now Tsunoda who gets his long-awaited shot, in front of his adoring home faithful at Suzuka.
It is the front-of-the-grid opportunity Tsunoda has been craving since he made his F1 debut for the junior team in 2021. The Japanese driver spent last week in the simulator in Milton Keynes: one final audition before the real thing. By then Horner, uninhibited driver development chief Helmut Marko and the rest of the Red Bull executive pack had made their decision, opting to swap the two drivers.
You must be registered for see images attach
Tsunoda (right) has replaced Liam Lawson (left) in the second Red Bull seat (AFP via Getty Images)
You must be registered for see images attach
Tsunoda will be Max Verstappen’s new teammate at Red Bull (Getty Images)
It marks the biggest moment of Tsunoda’s career which has, so far, taken on an unorthodox nature. Having won the F4 Japanese Championship in 2018, Tsunoda moved to Switzerland to be closer to his 2019 F3 team, Jenzer Motorsport. At just 18 years old, it was a huge culture shock.
“I moved to Europe and to Switzerland and I missed my friends quite a lot,” he tells The Independent, prior to the announcement of his move to Red Bull. “I was struggling.”
YUKI TSUNODA'S F1 CAREER (2021-current)
Races: 89
Top-10 finishes: 26
Points: 94
Podiums: 0
Best race result: 4th (Abu Dhabi, 2021)
Best championship finish: 12th (2024)
Now though, he considers Faenza – in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, Ferrari territory – his home, with Racing Bulls’s HQ based in the city. With his recent promotion, however, he may want to order the moving vans.
“I actually like living in Europe more than Japan now,” he says. “I’m able to fully relax. I went back to Japan to mentally reset after Abu Dhabi [in December] and I spent some time with the Japanese fans… it was nice to get out of the racing environment.
“But it’s not my home. I like the atmosphere more in Europe.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Tsunoda moved to Switzerland in 2019 at 18 years of age (LAT Images)
Tsunoda actually spent much of the off-season snowboarding in the Hakusan National Park, west of Tokyo. Yet attention quickly shifted to pre-season, where he underwent a “very good” training block in Dubai. He also appointed a new manager, former sportscar racer Diego Menchaca, and his outstanding performances in qualifying so far this year – fifth in Australia, ninth in China – point towards a driver at the peak of his powers.
Both inside and outside the cockpit, he is a happy man. How long can that last, though, in his new role as Verstappen’s teammate? The Dutchman has beaten his adversary on the other side of the garage in the last seven seasons.
Yet what should not be underestimated is Tsunoda’s eagerness to embrace pressure. By the Spanish Grand Prix in June, he will overtake mid-1990s racer Ukyo Katayama (95 grand prix starts) as the most experienced Japanese driver in F1. An event in Tokyo on Wednesday, which is expected to see all four Red Bull drivers present for a show-run, will see him line up in Red Bull gear in public for the first time since his promotion.
You must be registered for see images attach
Tsunoda will race for Red Bull in front of his home fans at Suzuka on Sunday (Getty Images)
Over the next few months the spotlight will be firmly on Tsunoda, who has already stated he is targeting a dream spot on the podium this Sunday, as he looks to emulate compatriot Kamui Kobayashi’s result in 2012.
After four years in the sport, right in the glare of the Drive to Survive cameras in the paddock, Tsunoda has finally learned how and where to divert his energy: to the racetrack.
“The amount of attention you get in this sport… it’s a bit surprising,” he says.
“It’s hard to know how to act in front of the cameras. In my rookie season, I wasn’t natural. It wasn’t a smart or efficient use of my energy.
“But now I know how to manage myself. I enjoy having more responsibility. This year is a chance for me to step up and be a more complete driver.” That step up, however, would come quicker than anyone anticipated.
Continue reading...
