F1 News: Yuki Tsunoda Surprised By Japanese Support - "It's Hard To Know"
Yuki Tsunoda, Formula 1's local hero at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix, expressed excitement for racing on his favourite track, Suzuka. He also said that the support he has received from Japanese fans was surprising, stating "it's hard to know" the level of Formula 1 interest in the country.
Key Takeaways
- Yuki Tsunoda describes Suzuka as his favorite track, praising its layout and the exhilarating experience it offers. He is eager to experience "pure kind of performance" during the race.
- The AlphaTauri driver was taken aback by the amount of support he received from fans, stating that it is "hard to know" exactly how many people in Japan are interested in Formula 1.
- Tsunoda participated in promotional activities in Tokyo days before the race and felt a warm welcome from the local fans, reinforcing his surprise at the level of local interest in the sport.
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Tsunoda, who has quickly become one of the most promising drivers on the F1 circuit despite a few recent DNFs, couldn't contain his enthusiasm about Suzuka.
"Yeah, first of all, the track layout is amazing. It’s my favourite track," he said.
Adding to that, he finds the first sector and the last chicane exhilarating to navigate. These portions of the track allow him to experience what he calls the "pure kind of performance" of Formula 1, particularly in terms of aerodynamics and downforce.
However, what caught Tsunoda off-guard was the unexpected level of support from Japanese fans. In a candid admission, he said:
"You know, like it's really far away, normally, from Japan, to feel any kind of support exactly.
"You know, I didn't expect… It’s always a surprise the amount of people supporting Formula 1, because, to be honest, it's hard to know exactly the amount of people watching Formula 1 from Japan but yeah, even yesterday, even to two days before I went to Tokyo and did a couple of promotions and stuff."
The experience made him realise that the Japanese are more tuned in to F1 than he had initially thought.
"I saw lots of Formula 1 fans there and I feel I got a really warm welcome from them," he shared.
As he gears up for the upcoming race, Tsunoda is not just contending with the physical challenges of the Suzuka track but is also carrying the weight of newfound local adoration. And while the young Japanese driver is expected to retain his seat, there is also added pressure from rookie and reserve driver Liam Lawson, who seems to be making his mark deeply after just three races as his AlphaTauri teammate.