Tsunoda had a tough time: 'I get a lot of advice from him'

Yuki Tsunoda is having a hard time in his first Formula 1 season. The Japanese driver drove a promising opening race in Bahrain but was unable to follow up on his success at the Grands Prix. The young driver got a lot of help from the people around him during that period.

After finishing ninth in Bahrain, the AlphaTauri driver failed to pick up any points in the next four races. His teammate Pierre Gasly did finish in the points during that period, prompting criticism of Tsunoda's performance. In Azerbaijan and Austria, however, he again showed his talent.

Support for Tsunoda

Tsunoda did not only talk to Gasly in recent months but also had close contact with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. The latter even gave him the necessary confidence. "Sergio gives me a lot of advice, especially after the weekends in Monaco and France," he told Speedweek. "I kept getting messages from him after I had a really bad weekend."

"He gave me tips and also had kind words for me, which motivates me a lot. So I owe him," Tsunoda stated. "Verstappen is also helping me. The four of us in the Red Bull squad get on well together and they inspire me."