FormulaSpy Logo
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Home
  • F1 News
  • F1 Calendar
  • F1 Standings
  • Drivers
  • Teams
  • Videos
  • Formula E
F1 Shop
F1 Shop
  • Home
  • F1 News
  • F1 Calendar
  • F1 Standings
  • Drivers
  • Teams
  • Videos
  • Formula E
F1 Shop
F1 Shop
No Result
View All Result
FormulaSpy Logo Mobile
No Result
View All Result

Tsunoda expected maiden F1 outing to be ‘less physical’

Thomas Maher by Thomas Maher
4th November 2020
Reading Time: 3 mins read
F1 Formula 1 Imola Yuki Tsunoda Alpha Tauri

IMOLA, ITALY - NOVEMBER 04: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan completes his first F1 test at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on November 04, 2020 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Josh Kruse/Scuderia AlphaTauri) // Josh Kruse / Scuderia AlphaTauri / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011040556 // Usage for editorial use only //

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterEmail

Yuki Tsunoda took the wheel of the 2018 Toro Rosso to get used to Formula 1 machinery ahead of his expected promotion to Alpha Tauri.

RELATED POSTS

Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris

Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying

Qualifying Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

Yuki Tsunoda headed to Imola with Alpha Tauri on Wednesday, as the Japanese driver is preparing for an expected promotion to the team in 2021.

As part of his preparations, the team brought him along with the 2018 Toro Rosso in order to set him loose to get 300 kilometres of track time under his belt.

This he completed, and the Japanese driver said after his day at the wheel that he had found the car quite physical to drive compared to his usual Formula 2 machine.

“Easier for the driving, but also harder in terms of physicality.” compared Tsunoda. “I expected it to be less tough physically, as my neck is quite strong and I’m confident in my neck as I don’t feel much in Formula 2. After I drove the F1 car though, but I feel it now. Especially in the braking zone, but the braking power is more than I expect.”

“I must do more training in that before my next time driving an F1 car.”

Tsunoda is expected to be taking part in first practice in Bahrain, taking part in an FP1 session as he continues his preparation for Formula 1. The Japanese driver says the most impressive aspect of the car was the power generated by the V6 hybrids: “The power, when you apply the throttle, you feel big power from the engine. More than a Formula 2 car, more than I expected. Even in the rain, it was really big performance with the initial throttle. More in the rain than even in Formula 2 in the dry. That was the biggest surprise in the day and the braking performance in the dry is really big…huge!”

ADVERTISEMENT

However, Tsunoda says he was quite relaxed about his first day in an Formula 1 car, saying that he got a normal nights sleep after enjoying a big seafood meal near Imola on Tuesday night. He says he was underwhelmed by the initial realisation of sitting in an F1 car, but found it ‘really cool’ when the tyre blankets came off.

“Nothing special to be honest.” admitted Tsunoda about his initial impression just before heading out on track. “I might feel ‘oh, I’m in a Formula 1 car, in a few minutes, but not much difference in leaving the pitlane between an F1 car and a Formula 2. It just felt normal, but it did feel special when the mechanics were giving the signal to remove the tyres from the blankets. That was really cool, I’ve only ever seen it in games. But I always wanted to see it in real life and see how it feels like. That felt a bit special.”

Tsunoda said the toughest part to get used to was all the extra switches for different modes and configuring settings while trying to drive quickly.

“Easy to remember, but hard to react quickly while driving.” said Tsunoda, who is lined up to replace Daniil Kvyat alongside the already confirmed Pierre Gasly next year. “Whenever I heard from the engineer to change something in the first session, I struggled to react quickly and change the button. I’d have to look at the steering wheel or slow down to change the setting but, by the end, the practice on the Red Bull simulator helped to get used to it. By the end of the session, it was consistently faster. Then my laptimes in the race simulation were consistent, despite making it loads of changes every lap.”

Tsunoda still has to finish in P5 in the Formula 2 Championship to guarantee his superlicence eligibility for 2021, and is currently P3. However, three drivers behind him are just seven points behind, meaning a bad weekend could set him back considerably. He says that the entire weekend is likely to be tough, seeing as he’s likely taking part in FP1 with Alpha Tauri.

“If I drive in FP1 in Bahrain in the F1 car, it’s going to be really a tight schedule and quick adaption to jump back in the F2 car. It’s going to be a really challenging weekend.”

Tags: Alpha TauriFormula 1TrendingYuki Tsunoda
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Could flax fibres eventually replace carbon fibre?

Next Post

Fernando Alonso completes two days of testing in Bahrain

Thomas Maher

Thomas Maher

Co-owner, Chief Editor and a journalist for FormulaSpy.com - Ireland's only accredited F1 & Formula E website. Enjoy my work - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MidcHN8

Related Posts

Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris
F1 News

Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris

27th May 2023
Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying
F1 News

Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying

27th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix
F1 News

Qualifying Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

27th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix
F1 News

(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

27th May 2023
Verstappen fastest in FP2 as Sainz crashes
F1 News

Verstappen fastest in FP2 as Sainz crashes

26th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix
F1 News

(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

26th May 2023
Next Post
F1 Formula 1 Renault Fernando Alonso Bahrain testing

Fernando Alonso completes two days of testing in Bahrain

F1 Formula 1 Haas Romain Grosjean George Russell

Grosjean: Russell was only driver in contact after losing Haas seat

Latest News

Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris

Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris

27th May 2023
Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying

Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying

27th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

Qualifying Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

27th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

27th May 2023
Verstappen fastest in FP2 as Sainz crashes

Verstappen fastest in FP2 as Sainz crashes

26th May 2023
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

26th May 2023
Sainz leads Alonso in Red Flag shortened Monaco FP1

Sainz leads Alonso in Red Flag shortened Monaco FP1

26th May 2023
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

26th May 2023
Honda to team up with Aston Martin from 2026

Honda to team up with Aston Martin from 2026

24th May 2023
New Formula E CEO announced as Reigle steps down

New Formula E CEO announced as Reigle steps down

17th May 2023

Recommended Stories

Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo

Giovinazzi handed ten-place grid drop

27th April 2019
F1 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix Aldo Costa Mercedes Toto Wolff

Aldo Costa to leave Mercedes this month

6th September 2019
Raikkonen fastest by 0.053s in red-flagged Spa FP1 – FP1 Report

Raikkonen fastest by 0.053s in red-flagged Spa FP1 – FP1 Report

25th August 2017

Popular Stories

  • F1 Formula 1 Haas 2021 livery Uralkali

    WADA confirm interest in Haas’ 2021 livery

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2022 F1 calendar and pre-season testing dates

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ‘Perez’s manager working on finding alternative seat for 2021’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Analysis: Where has Ferrari’s speed gone?

    14 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 0
  • Updated – 2020 F1 Drivers, Teams and Driver Numbers

    40 shares
    Share 40 Tweet 0
FormulaSpy

Find the latest Formula 1 news, results & reactions!

FormulaSpy is an independent accredited F1 news site, based in Ireland.

LEARN MORE »

Recent Posts

  • Leclerc handed three place grid drop for impeding Norris 27th May 2023
  • Verstappen on pole after very competitive Monaco qualifying 27th May 2023
  • Qualifying Results – 2023 Monaco Grand Prix 27th May 2023

Follow us on Social Media

Follow FormulaSpy on your favourite social media channels!

Built with ❤ in Dublin, Ireland ☘ © 2023
The total or partial reproduction of text, photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • F1 News
  • F1 Calendar
  • F1 Standings
  • Drivers
  • Teams
  • Videos

Built with ❤ in Dublin, Ireland ☘ © 2023
The total or partial reproduction of text, photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In