Motorsport photograph
A whole bunch of System 1 followers lined the streets of Tokyo for one final probability to go to Honda’s Aoyama headquarters, the elegant white high-rise a stone’s throw away from the Olympic Stadium that hosted the 2021 summer season video games.
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The long-lasting Aoyama constructing is ready to be closed and redeveloped, with a brand new, state-of-the-art headquarters to be constructed by 2030 on the identical web site. Sunday’s closing ceremony celebrated each the constructing’s wealthy historical past and that of a brand new starting for Honda Motor Firm.
However Sunday’s occasion wasn’t simply the celebration of a contemporary begin for Honda, but in addition for its favorite son . Simply days earlier, the 24-year-old was introduced as a Purple Bull driver for the rest of 2025 changing the underperforming , swapping seats from subsequent weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
As Honda’s partnership with Purple Bull is ready to finish this 12 months earlier than it joins Aston Martin in 2026, the group’s preliminary resolution to advertise Lawson as a substitute of Tsunoda meant a Purple Bull transfer appeared like it could by no means occur for the latter.
Tsunoda joined the Purple Bull junior group in 2019 within the wake of the group’s Honda deal and with the blessing of the producer, he was promoted to an AlphaTauri F1 seat in 2021 – Honda and Purple Bull then hoped to shine a uncooked diamond right into a future Purple Bull driver.
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That 12 months a rookie Tsunoda confirmed some flashes of brilliance that received him by way of the ranks, but in addition solid a status of being too scorching beneath the collar and never succesful sufficient of growing the automotive by way of exact technical suggestions.
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Regardless of 4 years of constant development, that status appeared exhausting to shake off, even internally at Purple Bull. Whereas members of AlphaTauri, now , have been showering reward on how Tsunoda has matured right into a group chief, there appeared little he might do to persuade the likes of Christian Horner that he’s not the uncooked supply materials, however the finish product.
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Tsunoda placed on a courageous face in public, however being neglected by Purple Bull 12 months after 12 months was massively irritating. He even appeared heartbroken in the course of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix weekend after he was introduced for an unprecedented fifth 12 months on the satellite tv for pc squad for 2025.
Surprisingly, he now lastly will get his want in extraordinary circumstances, at Honda’s dwelling circuit in Suzuka of all locations. Tsunoda can have by no means set foot within the Purple Bull RB21 earlier than he goes out in Friday’s first follow session in entrance of the passionate Japanese followers and the watchful eyes of Honda executives.
However for a person with the load of expectations behind him, Tsunoda appeared relaxed and cracked jokes with the 400 followers that have been in a position to get into the Aoyama constructing’s welcome plaza as he shared the stage along with his mentor and former WTCC driver Ryo Michigami.
“We don’t wish to put an excessive amount of strain on you, however it’s unimaginable to not have excessive expectations,” Michigami recommended, to which a grinning Tsunoda replied: “Sure, please pile on the expectations and strain!”
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He admitted his transfer forward of the Japanese Grand Prix initially felt “unreal”, however stated he quickly received right down to enterprise at Purple Bull’s Milton Keynes manufacturing facility.
Japanese followers present their help for Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Money App RB F1 Crew
Japanese followers present their help for Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Money App RB F1 TeamMark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
“Once I first received the decision, I believed: ‘Wow, that is going to be fascinating.’ I simply felt: ‘I’ll swap to the opposite group’,” he stated. “After all, I used to be glad about becoming a member of Purple Bull, however after I thought of it rigorously, the concept of all of a sudden racing for Purple Bull on the Japanese Grand Prix felt so unreal.
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“At first, I used to be too busy to even take the time to totally admire the thrill. I needed to bounce straight into the simulator, do seat fittings, and handle plenty of different preparations. After all, getting promoted to Purple Bull is an incredible alternative, however earlier than anything, I wished to speak to my [Racing Bulls] engineers and the individuals who had supported me, and thank them.”
On his seat match within the 2025 Purple Bull, he stated: “When you sit in an F1 cockpit, the view is similar. Sorry for the boring reply. Since I used to be a reserve driver this 12 months, I had already accomplished a seat becoming earlier than. However again then I bear in mind considering, ‘Why am I even doing this? I’m not going to be racing anyway’. This time, I took the seat becoming critically.”
Having fun with the expertise, however aiming for the rostrum
Tsunoda did not seem daunted by the prospect of taming the bucking RB21, the place many different drivers have struggled within the seemingly cursed seat alongside four-time world champion . He stated his preliminary feeling from the simulator was constructive, though he admitted his glowing feedback on testing the 2024 automotive in Abu Dhabi have been cheekily aimed toward convincing Purple Bull to choose him over then team-mate Lawson.
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“To be trustworthy, that was a little bit of a gross sales pitch. However nonetheless, I used to be in a position to drive it usually instantly, so in that sense I do really feel prefer it fits me,” he stated when requested by the host about his solely earlier expertise in a Purple Bull F1 automotive. “I spent about two days within the simulator [with the 2025 car]. From that have, I didn’t discover the automotive to be that difficult to drive.
“I positively received the impression that the front-end could be very responsive, as folks typically say. However in case you ask whether or not it felt tough to deal with, I wouldn’t say it gave me a very unusual feeling, at the least within the simulator. After all, how I wish to arrange the automotive might be totally different from Max. I wish to develop my very own automotive set-up, get an excellent understanding of it, and steadily stand up to hurry from FP1.”
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull RacingSam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
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However whereas he’s beneath no phantasm that the Suzuka weekend will current the problem of a lifetime, that studying curve isn’t making him tone down his burning ambition to change into the primary Japanese driver to complete on the Japanese Grand Prix podium since in 2012.
“My ambition hasn’t modified. I don’t wish to elevate expectations an excessive amount of, however for this Japanese Grand Prix I wish to end on the rostrum,” he stated, this time very critically. “That stated, I do know it gained’t be straightforward proper from the beginning. My precedence is to first perceive the automotive and the way it behaves in comparison with the VCARB.
“If I can naturally get pleasure from driving it as I get aware of it in FP1, then the outcomes will comply with. And if that results in a podium end, that may be unimaginable.”
However above all, Tsunoda needs to soak within the expertise and seize a novel alternative to repay Honda for a few years of help. “That is the ultimate 12 months of Purple Bull and Honda’s partnership, so attending to race in Suzuka as a driver looks like destiny,” he concluded.
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“I wish to struggle with the most effective engine – Honda’s engine – whereas displaying my gratitude for every little thing Honda has accomplished. I hope to get pleasure from this expertise along with all of the followers. Greater than something, I’m excited in regards to the problem forward.
“There aren’t many moments in life the place you face this sort of excessive strain and a chance as huge as this, so I can solely think about that it’s going to be an extremely thrilling race.”
For Tsunoda, subsequent week’s Purple Bull debut is the fruits of a life-long dream, one which many really feel might but flip right into a nightmare if he additionally struggles to get a tune out of the automotive like others earlier than him. However along with his long run F1 future unsure, Tsunoda would not wish to have it some other manner.
If Purple Bull’s swap hadn’t materialised, Tsunoda’s misplaced Purple Bull dream would have haunted him eternally.
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