'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Yuki Tsunoda recently shed light on the evolution of his relationship with AlphaTauri teammate Pierre Gasly and how it has helped him going into his second year in F1.
Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver since Kamui Koboyashi in 2014 to race in F1 when he was announced as Russian driver Daniil Kyvat's replacement at AlphaTauri at the start of 2021.
After struggling in the initial stages of his rookie season, Yuki Tsunoda came good towards the end of the campaign and is now looking to build on that in 2022.
The 21-year-old driver admitted to relying on Pierre Gasly's insight and input, given his experience with the team, as the pair try and pave the way forward for AlphaTauri.
During a joint media interview session in Miami, Tsunoda said:
“The relationship with Pierre [is] good. We chat more than last year, for sure. We are having more conversations [than] last year about how we can make the car better, or [what] the car feels like, and [how to do] things to make the car better. I think those conversations, like more as a Formula 1 driver, we [are] having more than last year. [It] definitely is the right way, the right conversations we have to develop as a team, and currently we’re enjoying the progress we’re [experiencing from the last races].”
Tsunoda has a 2-25 qualifying record against him when compared to Gasly throughout the entirety of the pair's tenure at AlphaTauri.
"I'm more in control" - Yuki Tsunoda confident and comfortable in his sophomore season in F1
Yuki Tsunoda admitted to feeling more comfortable and confident in his second season in F1 with AlphaTauri.
In the aforementioned interview, the Japanese driver elaborated by saying:
“I think it’s a different feeling compared to last year. I would say it’s too early [in the season] to say I’m feeling [more] comfortable or have [more] confidence, but I think I’m feeling different compared [to] last year. I’m more in control, I will say. I can control more situations. I know how the team’s thinking, so I would say it’s better.”
This confidence is showing as after five rounds of the 2022 campaign, the Japanese driver is leading his French colleague Pierre Gasly by 10 points to six.
