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AlphaTauri F1's Yuki Tsunoda recently revealed that he is better known in Italy than back at his home in Japan. The young driver reflected on the different eras of F1 in Japan, and why things are not the same anymore.
When asked about being a "star" in Japan, Tsunoda claimed a different reality, and said:
“To be honest, I think I’m better known in Italy than in Japan. Formula 1 is a big thing in Japan, that’s true. But not nearly as big as it used to be when Ayrton Senna drove. There was no Japanese Formula 1 driver for a long time, and even no Japanese manufacturer for a long time.”
He further explained how interactions with the crowds in his home country have been limited till now, saying:
“I’m not often in Japan, so it’s hard for me to assess how popular Formula 1 is there at the moment. I’m in Japan for three weeks a year and last time I spent two of them in quarantine. I wasn’t there much outside.”
With the Japanese Grand Prix on the calendar this year, it will be exciting to see how the crowds react to Tsunoda's arrival. This will mark his first home race since becoming a part of the F1 grid in 2021, when the Japanese GP was canceled for the second year in a row following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yuki Tsunoda, however, has been the only Japanese driver on the grid for a long while now. His presence mixed with F1's immense global growth will definitely see him receive affection from his home fans.
Yuki Tsunoda reveals his approach to taking care of his mental health
It is no surprise that as an F1 driver, Yuki Tsunoda also receives his share of online abuse. Many spectators of the sport leave no stone unturned to troll and even threaten drivers over the smallest of issues.
The AlphaTauri driver, who had a tough debut season, was heavily trolled for his unique approach to racing. A combination of mistakes, crashes, and foul language branded him many things on these online platforms. The young driver, however, has come a long way since then.
Yuki Tsunoda recently revealed his course of action to avoid online negativity, saying:
“I’m recently controlling that stuff quite well. Much better than last year. I recognise some people [speaking about] those situations, but I don’t read actual comments from them. I don’t see much social media anyway. I really don’t care!”
F1 in general has taken several steps to reduce fan toxicity online. Things reached a boiling point when rival camps even harassed people in GP venues. There's no doubt that a true fan of the sport will never take such a heinous path.
