Sunday’s Grand Prix marks the first time that Yuki Tsunoda has competed for the top of motorsports at home as Formula 1 returns to Japan for the first time since 2019.
Suzuka, located four hours away from Tsunoda’s birth, is where the 22-year-old’s journey into Formula 1 began. He made his debut during that round of the Japanese F4 Championship in 2016 and went on to win the title in ’18. That’s a place on the Red Bull Junior team, and the following year’s Honda Formula Dream project in Formula 3. By 2021, Tsunoda found himself on the Formula One grid alongside Pierre Gasly in the AlphaTauri programme.
Now, his face has been affixed to all the posters surrounding the track as fans welcome him home. He said during Thursday’s press conference, “It’s so cool. Right now I don’t feel pressured because it’s really hard to imagine I’m driving here… Just four years ago I was one of the spectators watching these guys, you know? And now I’m driving in front of them, fans.” The Japanese”.
It’s been a long way for Tsunoda to get to this moment as he has faced scrutiny, especially this season. He has only 11 points to his name – all within the first six races. In the second half of the season, he hit a rough patch where he scored four DNFs, one due to a difference. Tsunoda recently crashed during the Singapore Grand Prix, something before he was blamed and made no excuses.
Although a quick turnaround, Tsunoda reorientated himself when he got back on a path quite familiar to him, even performing a karaoke evening with Gasly to welcome the festivities. Tsunoda has recognized that part of the balance between being a Formula 1 driver is also what one does outside the race, and finding ways to be healthy both physically and mentally.
The last time Tsunoda was on this track, he won. Could his growth, knowledge of racing in Japan and knowing he has a seat in Formula 1 in 2023 help him correct the ship’s course as AlphaTauri chases his goal of seventh in the constructors’ standings?
With F1 returning to the Land of the Rising Sun, Sports Illustrated He spoke with the AlphaTauri driver about the rivalry at home, the mental aspect of the sport and his outstanding performance in signing with Gasly.
The 22-year-old during the weekend of the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix.
PanoramiC / IMAGO
Fuel for Thought is Sports Illustrated’s exclusive Q&A with the biggest names in Formula 1. The following questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Sports Illustrated: How does it feel to come home?
Yuki Tsunoda: It feels really good. I will say the food is great. [It’s] One of the things I really look forward to when I go back to Japan. I would say that Italy helps a lot in terms of food because for me food is so [one of the] Really important things in my life, especially the kind of foods that keep my stress level or mental level consistent. If I eat well, or a good lunch or dinner, when I have a bad day, it will reduce my stress level and always make me happy. Going back to Japan especially after Singapore, what happened on Sunday, I was kind of stressing. Once I arrived in Japan and had a nice dinner, I was able to reset my mind and face Suzuka.
SI: What’s your favorite meal when you get home?
YK: It’s called Mutsunabe. It’s kind of like soy sauce soup with lots of veggies and offal.
SI: How do you reorient yourself? Because I’m sure it’s hard to deal with not only the fame that comes with being in Formula One but the mentality that goes into the sport.
YK: I think the mental thing is an important thing, especially not just in terms of racing but also on social media. A lot of pressure in every race because every team spends a lot of money, and there are a lot of people working for just two people. In our team, we have over 600 people working for just two people. We always want to give as good a performance as possible, especially points. I know the amount of effort the team puts into this sport is huge, which is why we always feel more responsible. Especially in qualifying – one lap decides it. If you miss one lap, you may go to P16. Or even if you have the speed and you are P4 or P5, you have one mistake and it will be P16. It’s a kind of mental exercise, too. You want to be as healthy as possible and as relaxed as possible outside of the race.
An AlphaTauri driver during the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
PanoramiC / IMAGO
SI: Looking forward to the Japanese Grand Prix, What should fans watch? What is the most challenging part of the path and why?
YK: I will say Suzuka is one of the tracks they must see from the outside. As a spectator years ago, I will say I was surprised when I watched off the track. For example, outside of the summer, when I watch Formula 1 races outside the track, for example an off-season test in Barcelona, of course Formula 1 is fast, but I’m not as impressed as I did in Suzuka. Especially in Formula One, switching to Turn 1, for example, with so much sparkle is insane, and the amount of speed they’re carrying into the corner…in the right direction, it’s super fast. most angles [are] The speed is so high and narrow that it makes [it] Extra challenge
SI: A simple but profound question – who is Yuki?
YK: Huge passion for racing and at the same time for food. I’d say kind of a boisterous guy, especially on the radio. Big difference when I’m in the car from outside the car. Really good at karaoke. I love games, and I’m very cute.
SI: I saw the video Pierre posted of all of you doing karaoke. How did you land on that song?
YK: Welcome It’s really hard to sing, and we were at the end of our karaoke session so kind of at the end. I think the quality of this our singing deserves the final song, and I’ll say I’d rate this song a three out of 10. It wasn’t good at all, but at least I had a lot of fun with Pierre. One of the highlights between us so it was really fun.
SI: How would you kind of describe the dynamic between you and Pierre because it’s one thing to be teammates, but it looks like, at least from the outside, you guys are good friends too.
YK: With Pierre, it’s a really good relationship. Inside the race, I can learn a lot of things from him and one of the reasons for that is [was] Able to progress well from things from last year. Of course, he doesn’t give me advice directly because we’re competing together. But he was always a kind of good reference driver, how not to just drive [but] How they behave outside the race and how they should prepare. Last year, I was a bit lazy. In the offseason, I wasn’t as physically prepared as Pierre, compared to now. I struggled a lot from the races in terms of physical condition… he was always in great shape. He always scores points as consistent. Those things I learned from him, and even outside of the race, we always tease each other. Sometimes, we are good friends.
SI: How have you seen yourself grow since you joined Formula One so far?
YK: In general, I would say overall performance, insanity in terms of mental level, and of course driving. Now, I feel more in control of everything. I know how to handle any situation [that] is happening. I now know how to approach race week. Suzuka, for example, I’m riding for the first time with Formula One here, and we need to up the speed. But in the past year, I didn’t know much about how to progress or how I should approach it when new things happen. I was pretty much going on the first lap of every session. That’s why I was under so much pressure in qualifying or in FP1, for example. It gives you less confidence after an accident. You are not in good shape with these things. I’ll learn from him, and be more relaxed outside of the race, for example. This kind of informational stuff, I was nervous. But I’ve changed my mind now and feel more comfortable. I try to enjoy it, sort of, so I don’t feel anything like fatigue. Sure, these are small pieces, but if you put them together, it makes a huge difference in how driving performance looks.
I still think I’m doing well so far. I’m very happy. Every weekend, I can advance especially in performance form. We just have to put it all together now in the race to score points and come back with a good rhythm that I had in the first half of the season.
More Formula 1 coverage:
Daily coverage: How Trackhouse is trying to change NASCAR
[ad_2]
