📍Racing Around Asia, Yuki Tsunoda

Most of us die-hard Formula 1 fans know Yuki as the short-tempered driver in AlphaTauri whose radio is constantly bleeped out due to his vulgar language but, do we really know who this Japanese driver really is?

     Born on the 11th of May 2000 in Japan, Yuki is the first ever driver born in the 21st Century to participate in the F1 series when he debuted with AlphaTauri in 2021 after finishing 3rd overall in Formula 2 the previous year. He had won the 2018 Japanese F4 Championship and was backed by Redbull Junior Team in 2019 and Honda Formula Dream Project due to Honda teaming up with Redbull.

    The young driver started karting at the age of 10 joining JAF Junior Karting Championship, before moving to the regionals in 2013 and to the nationals in the following year.

  In 2016, post graduation from Honda Racing School Suzuka, Yuki became a member of the Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP), making his single-seater debut in the F4 Japanese Championship with Sutekina Racing Team for a one-off event in Suzuka claiming his first podium coming in 2nd the first race and finishing 4th in the second race.

      He started his full-time season in 2017 with Honda in the same F4 championship while also competing in the Regional East series of the F4 Japanese series. He won his first race in Okayama and clinched the Championship title in the Regional Championship while finishing third in Nationals. Continuing with the F4 Japanese Championship series the following year with the HFDP team, he claimed victory during the final race at Motegi by 14 points after claiming a whopping 7 wins!

  Climbing up to the newly announced F3 series with Redbull Junior Team and HFDP the following year, he drove for Jenzer Motorsport where he finished off 9th in the standings with 67 points, 3 podiums and a win. He had scored all points for the team that year.

    At the same time, Yuki participated in the Euroformula Open Championship with Motorpark. he placed fourth in the standings with 151 points and a win along side 5 podiums. All despite having missed 2 races due to his F3 commitments. (Like actually I could never)

   After the announcement of him driving for Carlin in the 2020 Formula 2 Championship, he partook in the Toyota Racing Series alongside Liam Lawson (ring a bell people?) with M2 Competition, he placed 4th in standings with one win and 2 third places.

   During the 2020 F2 Championship, he drove alongside Jehan Daruvala. Even though he had an unfortunate season due to car issues and difficulties,he clinched 3rd in standings with 200 points, 3 wins, 4 pole positions and 7 podiums. (GO OFF KINGG) He was awarded the "FIA Rookie Of The Year" award along with the "Anthonie Hubert" award.

  His first ever F1 car experience was in November 2020 at the Imola Circuit for a test session. He drove the Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) STR13. The following month, the driver for AlphaTauri for their end of season rookie test at the Yas Marina Circuit (talking abt Yas Marina, do u ever say Marina and someone goes Singapore and ur like no Abu Dhabi? Just me? Ok). He did more test for the STR14 during the winter break at 2 different circuits.

    Yuki was announced to be driving alongside Pierre Gasly (I know u hear DR3 don't lie) for AlphaTauri in the 2021 season of Formula 1. He drove under number 22 because his normal number, 11, was taken by Checo Perez so he doubled it. In his rookie season, he placed 14th in standings with 32 points with his best finish being 4th in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    Continuing with the team in 2022 and 2023, Yuki accumulated 12 points in the 2022 season with his teammate, Pierre, scoring 23. In 2023, Yuki drove alongside Nyck De Vries (who got replaced by Liam and Daniel now that's gotta sting abit), he placed 14th once again with 17 points with his best finish being 8th at the US GP and Abu Dhabi GP. He did however, led 5 laps in the season which is impressive seeing as only 10 drivers  who were mostly in higher performance cars and teams were able to lead laps.

   Yuki's contract ends in 2024 as he drives for the unnamed team of AlphaTauri rebranding. Most fans hoping that he'd get a contract extension as he's become a familiar face in the Asian community. Especially, at his home race of Suzuka,Japan. Only time will tell whether he'll drive in 2025 onwards but what we do know is that we'd have Yuki for another year bleeping out those radios like there's no child watching.

_________________________________________

The episode of Racing around Asia‼️ I hope y'all like it and see yall very very soon. That's lights out and not away we go bcs the season hasn't started and I'm bored RAHHH

-aliyah