Yuki Tsunoda (角田 裕毅 in Japanese; born 11 May 2000) is a Japanese racing driver, currently competing in the Formula 1 for RB. debut in 2021 for AlphaTauri.[1] A member of the Honda Formula Dream Project as well as the Red Bull Junior Team, Tsunoda graduated to F1 after claiming the Anthoine Hubert Award in the 2020 Formula 2 Championship.[2]
Background[]
Tsunoda began his career in karting in his native Japan, joining the JAF Junior Karting Championship in 2010.[3] Progressing through the various classes each year, Tsunoda graduated to single-seaters in 2016, obtaining a late-season entry in the F4 Japanese Championship.[3] After obtaining a debut podium, Tsunoda was handed a full season seat in F4 Japan for 2017.[3]
Honda Heroics: 2017-2019[]
Joining the Honda Formula Dream Project in 2017, Tsunoda had an impressive maiden campaign in F4 Japan, securing third in the Championship while also winning the East category.[3]Honda duly kept him in Japanese F4 for 2018, and were rewarded as their young protege scored seven wins and the Championship title.[3] That prompted Honda's new Formula One partners Red Bull to sign Tsunoda at the end of the season, with the Japanese youth moving to Europe as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.[3]
For 2019 Tsunoda would complete a dual program in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and the Euroformula Open Championship alongside other RBJT members.[3] The Japanese racer duly finished fourth in the latter series with a single win, while also securing ninth in F3, while also driving to eleventh in the famed Macau Grand Prix at the end of the season.[3] 2020 would see Tsunoda get a run in the Toyota Racing Series, claiming a single win en route to fourth in the Series.[3]
Carlin Call: 2020[]
Tsunoda moved into the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Carlin, with the Japanese racer signing a deal with the British squad for the 2020 season.[2] It proved to be an impressive debut season for Tsunoda, with the Japanese racer claiming three victories in a late charge to third in the Championship, a result which also earned him the Anthoine Hubert Award for best rookie.[2]
Formula One Career[]
During the 2020 F2 season rumours regarding Tsunoda taking a race seat with AlphaTauri for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship circulated, despite the fact that the Japanese racer had yet to obtain an FIA Super Licence. After securing the necessary points via his third-place finish in the 2020 F2 Championship, Tsunoda was duly unveiled as the second driver for AlphaTauri-Honda for the 2021 season, partnering Pierre Gasly.[1] His promotion was widely thought to have been at the behest of AlphaTauri's engine supplier's Honda, despite the fact that they had announced that they were leaving F1 at the end of 2021.[1]
Formula One Statistical Overview[]
Formula One Record[]
Year | Entrant | Team | Pts | WDC Pos. | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Youth Career | |||||
2017 - 2018 | Honda Formula Dream Project | ||||
2019 - 2020 | Red Bull Junior Team | ||||
Senior Career | |||||
2020 | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | AlphaTauri-Honda | Test Driver | ||
2021 | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | AlphaTauri-Honda | 32 | 14th | Report |
2022 | Scuderia AlphaTauri | AlphaTauri-RBPT | 12 | 17th | Report |
2023 | Scuderia AlphaTauri | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 17 | 14th | Report |
2024 | Visa Cash App RB F1 Team | RB-Honda RBPT | 28 | 11th | Report |
2025 | Visa Cash App RB F1 Team | RB-Honda RBPT |
Career Statistics[]
Statistics correct as of 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix
Entries | 87 |
Starts | 84 |
Pole Positions | 0 |
Race Wins | 0 |
Podiums | 0 |
Fastest Laps | 0 |
Points | 89 |
Laps Raced | 4281 |
Distance Raced | 21,393 km (13,293 mi) |
Races Led | 1 |
Laps Led | 5 |
Distance Led | 26 km (16 mi) |
Career Results[]
Complete Formula One Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Pts | Pos |
2021 | 32 | 14th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th | 12th | 15th | Ret | 16th | 7th | 13th | 10th | 12th | 10th | 6th | 15th [4] |
Ret | DNS | 17th | 14th | 9th | Ret | 15th | 13th | 14th | 4th | |||||
2022 | 12 | 17th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th | DNS | 15th | 7th | 12th | 10th | 17th | 13th | Ret | 14th | 16th | Ret | 19th | 13th | Ret | 14th | Ret | 13th | 10th | Ret | 17th | 11th | |||||
2023 | 17 | 14th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th | 11th | 10th | 10th | 11th | C | 15th | 12th | 14th | 19th | 16th | 15th | 10th | 15th | DNS | Ret | 12th | 15th | 8th | 12th | 9th | 18th† | 8th | ||||
2024 | 28 | 11th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14th | 15th | 7th | 10th | Ret | 7th | 10th | 8th | 14th | 19th | 14th | 10th | 9th | 16th | 17th | Ret | Ret | 12th | 14th | Ret | 7th |
Key | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning | ||
1st | Winner | Ret | Retired | ||
2nd | Podium finish | DSQ | Disqualified | ||
3rd | DNQ | Did not qualify | |||
5th | Points finish | DNPQ | Did not pre-qualify | ||
14th | Non-points finish | TD | Test driver | ||
Italics | Fastest Lap | DNS | Did not start | ||
18th† | Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) | NC | Non-classified finish (<90% race distance) | ||
4thP | Qualified for pole position | [+] More Symbols |
References[]
Images and Videos:
References:
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 James Galloway, 'Yuki Tsunoda confirmed by AlphaTauri to replace Daniil Kvyat for F1 2021', skysports.com, (Sky UK, 16/12/2020), https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12471/12163866/yuki-tsunoda-confirmed-by-alphatauri-to-replce-daniil-kvyat-for-f1-2021, (Accessed 16/12/2020)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 'TSUNODA EARNS F2 PROMOTION WITH CARLIN', fiaformula2.com, (FIA Formula Two, 10/01/2020), http://www.fiaformula2.com/News-Room/News/2020/01_January/Tsunoda-earns-F2-promotion-with-Carlin/, (Accessed 04/03/2020)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 'Yuki Tsunoda', driverdb.com, (Driver Database, 2020), https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/yuki-tsunoda/, (Accessed 12/03/2020)
- ↑ Race stopped after 2/44 Laps. Half points awarded
V T E | AlphaTauri | ||
---|---|---|---|
Drivers 3. Daniel Ricciardo · 22. Yuki Tsunoda | |||
Personnel Dietrich Mateschitz · Jody Egginton · Helmut Marko · Franz Tost · Graham Watson | |||
Cars AT01 · AT02 · AT03 · AT04 | |||