Yuki Tsunoda looks forward to his first US trip 

As the Formula 1 circus heads to the United States of America, it will be the first trip to the North American continent for Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda. The Alpha Tauri driver previewed the race weekend in Austin by raising similar concerns as his teammate Pierre Gasly about the track surface at the Circuit of the Americas.

Commenting on his performance in the previous race weekend in Turkey, Tsunoda said:

“I think the Turkish weekend was pretty positive for me and I had good pace right from the start, all through practice. Track conditions changed massively for qualifying and I struggled a bit to find pace and get the right car balance, but we got to Q3 and it was good to start from P9.”

Yuki Tsunoda leads Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 Turkish GP. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Although Tsunoda’s race started well, the young Japanese driver had to battle seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for a few laps. Speaking after the race, the young Alpha Tauri driver said he tried his best to hold up the Briton in order to aid his Red Bull Racing counterpart and title contender Max Verstappen.

Commenting on his race, Tsunoda said:

“With the race starting in the wet, I didn’t have the disadvantage of using the Soft tire I’d used in Q2 for the start. In the race, I enjoyed my battle with Lewis, but after my spin, tire temperatures were very low and I struggled for pace.”

His battle with Hamilton was hailed by TV pundits as the Alpha Tauri driver held up the Mercedes champion for almost 10 laps until his tires began to fade. Tsunoda’s jump to F1 after only a season in F2, however, has often been criticized by skeptics in the paddock.

Speaking of the Turkish race, Tsunoda said:

“It was an interesting weekend. I learned a lot and it will be good experience for the future. From Turkey onwards this season, the only track where I have driven before is the final round in Abu Dhabi, so all the circuits will be a new experience, including this weekend in Austin.”

Tsunoda’s lack of experience in single-seater cars has led to a bumpy start to his career, where the young rookie is only in his fourth year of open-wheel racing. Most of the circuits on the calendar are new to the young Japanese, and driving an F1 car on a familiar circuit hasn’t been an easy task either.

Yuki Tsunoda previews his maiden USGP weekend

Speaking of preparations for his maiden US Grand Prix, Tsunoda said:

“After Istanbul, I spent a couple of days in the simulator and drove the COTA track. It seems to be a very interesting circuit, with many different types of corners and that steep climb to the first blind corner. That first sector is like a rollercoaster. I’m looking forward to experiencing it for the first time.”

Resonating with his teammate Pierre Gasly, Tsunoda raised similar concerns about the track surface at COTA. He said:

“I saw that the MotoGP riders were complaining about the track surface, so we will have to see if they have managed to do anything about that in time for this weekend.”

Commenting on his first trip to the United States, he said:

“It will also be my first trip to the United States and I’m looking forward to that. America has always been on the list of countries I really want to visit, so I’m excited about this trip. I’ve heard all about the barbecue restaurants in Austin and I will be keen to try that and see how it rates compared to Japanese Wagyu beef!”

Had the young Japanese driver not battled Hamilton in the rain in Turkey, he was expected to finish higher up in the points. Tsunoda’s talent has always been hailed as special by all those who have seen him surge through the junior driving series. However, his ability to adapt to F1 has often raised questions around whether he made his debut in the sport too soon.

With improved consistency in recent races, the promising Japanese talent will be hoping to prove his worthiness in an F1 seat. The Circuit of the Americas could be less challenging for Tsunoda than he deemed it to be, and an interesting one to perform on if all goes well for the Alpha Tauri driver through the weekend.