Tsunoda, like Verstappen in the past, needs to be 'slowed down' for a bit

Helmut Marko often said it in the past about Max Verstappen: it's better to slow down a fast driver than try to speed up a slow one. According to Franz Tost, the same applies to Yuki Tsunoda, who is trying to follow in the footsteps of the current F1 championship leader.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Tost indicated that debutant Tsunoda shouldn't want to push too hard. "He has to learn or he has to recognize when he's on the limit. I like drivers who are pushing, I like drivers who are risking something. But of course, early or later, you must get it under control. And this is what we have to teach Yuki," explains the AlphaTauri team principal.

But that's a fun challenge, the Austrian thinks. "But to be honest, I like this way more than to try to make someone faster. Slowing down a fast driver is easier than to speed up a slow driver." With Verstappen, it was exactly the same case during his first two seasons in Formula 1.

Tsunoda on the way back

The first Grand Prix in Bahrain went well for Tsunoda, but this was followed by poor performances in Spain and Monaco. AlphaTauri decided to move Tsunoda to Italy so he could work intensively with the team there. The Japanese driver immediately reaped the rewards, as Tsunoda performed excellently in Azerbaijan, finishing seventh in both qualifying and the race.