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Scuderia AlphaTauri have come under the scanner for their recent social post highlighting driver Yuki Tsunoda alongside the 'Rising Sun' flag ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.
The Suzuka Circuit is all set to host the Japanese GP, and it is surely an exciting moment for home hero Tsunoda.
To celebrate this, AlphaTauri posted a Manga-style artwork of Tsunoda, and the background was largely comprised of what appears to be an inspiration from Japan's 'Rising Sun' flag.
Even though the flag is a part of the country's long history, some countries consider it to be symbolic of the atrocities that Japan committed during the times of war and find it comparable to Nazi Germany's swastika symbol.
Amidst the controversy, fans were disappointed with AlphaTauri. Here are some reactions from social media:
"Uh-oh someone’s not even trying to hide the Nazi spirit," a fan wrote.
"You were able to make a poster that honored Japanese culture without controversial symbols last year, so why your team approved this is mind boggling," another tweeted.
"I’m sure you tried your best…. But this seems a little bit controversial to me," a user wrote.
Yuki Tsunoda feels 'no reason' to leave AlphaTauri
Yuki Tsunoda made his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri in the 2021 season and has been racing with them since. Despite his impressive performances, the Japanese driver is yet to win a race as the team isn't strong enough to compete at the top.
One might think that this might as well be the time for Yuki Tsunoda to switch teams and get into a stronger outfit. However, he said in a recent interview with Web Sportiva that he plans to stick around with AplhaTauri and potentially earn a seat at Red Bull.
"I’m hopeful, but in the end, it's up to Red Bull and Honda. I believe the leaders of Red Bull have a different feeling and impression on me this season, so I feel that there is no reason to lose the seat."
Tsunoda is currently in a three-way tussle, along with Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson, for the two driver's seats at AlphaTauri for the 2024 season.
