High hopes for Tsunoda: "With a good car, he can surprise everyone"

Yuki Tsunoda will make his Formula 1 debut in 2021 and expectations are high. Tsunoda was the best 'Rookie' in Formula 2 in 2020 and everyone is praising the Japanese driver. So does his new team boss Franz Tost.

Tsunoda to Europe

Yuki Tsunoda has already made a big impression in Europe. The 20-year-old driver only made the switch to Europe in 2019, but has already shown a lot in a short time. This is remarkable, because usually talents from another continents need time to adapt. Tsunoda won a race in Formula 3, however, and would finish third in the F2 championship in 2020. With those results, he left quite an impression.

''He already positively struck me two years back in Formula 3. You have to remember that he came from Japan and didn't know any track here. Life in Europe is also very different. It is a culture shock. How he managed that, and just stayed focused on racing and getting results, was really special,'' Tost told Auto, Motor und Sport.

The surprise of AlphaTauri

''We started a test programme with him last year in Imola, and then he found his rhythm very quickly. He was able to improve step by step, without spinning or crashing. At the beginning of this year we tested again in Imola and Misano, where he reached 1000 kilometres.''

What many and Tsunoda himself cite as his greatest strength is the speed at which he learns. ''If you tell Yuki something, he immediately knows what to do. He is also very good with the brakes and has a good feel for fast turns in particular. If we have a good car I'm sure he can surprise us,'' concludes the AlphaTauri team boss.