A Conversation With The Youngest Driver Currently Racing Formula 1: Yuki Tsunoda
Interview by Hannah Voegler & Federico Mariani
Not only is he the youngest driver since joining the league in 2021, but also currently the only Japanese driver. We recently had the opportunity and pleasure to chat with Yuki before the start of his second season in F1, as we discussed his career path, race rituals, and general misconceptions about the sport.
Formula 1, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of international racing for formula racing cars.
H: Could you briefly walk us through your background? How and when did you decide to get into racing?
I started when I was 4 years old. My dad took me to the racing track with my family just for fun. He didn't try to force me to get into racing, but he did say that I kept wanting to go back to the track. So we went a lot while I was growing up in Japan. When I was like 9 or 10 years old, karting became something a bit more serious for me, as I noticed that I started losing some of my competition. I wanted to continue being faster and improving with the goal of beating all my competition. I didn't like losing at all. This is also when my dad began to get more committed to the sport. Before that, it was just for fun. But I was still bringing my Nintendo DS to every race.
What was the greatest adjustment when moving to Europe? What do you miss most from home?
I really wanted to go to Europe since I was 16 years old, but at the same time you can’t go to Europe for racing without any support from a sponsor, like Honda. It's a lot of money. I first had to perform well in Formula 4 in Japan so that Honda would potentially accept me to come here. I was very determined to achieve my goal because this was the right path to becoming an F1 driver, which was my dream. When Honda finally accepted me and I moved to Switzerland, the language was definitely the biggest adjustment for me. It was also the first time I was living on my own. I think the thing that I still miss most is the Japanese food and of course my friends in Japan. When I moved to Switzerland, my only friend at the beginning was my trainer.
H: What do you never travel without on race weekends?
F: Apex Legends?
I know that if I bring my playstation, I won't be able to focus on racing. I would end up playing Apex Legends all night. But I would say I never travel without my iPad. It's kind of a middle ground between gaming. You can watch youtube and play a bit of games too.
I TRY TO FEEL THE PRESSURE AS MUCH AS I CAN BEFORE THE RACE, SO AS SOON AS I JUMP INTO THE CAR THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE I FELT BEFORE IS A BIT LESS. BEFORE EACH SESSION I TRY TO VISUALIZE IN MY MIND HOW I WANT TO PERFORM EACH LAP.
H: Of course auto racing is a very mental sport, do you have any techniques on how to cope with the pressure and stay focused?
I have to accept all the pressure that comes my way. You can't really escape it. I try to feel the pressure as much as I can before the race, so as soon as I jump into the car the amount of pressure I felt before is a bit less. I try to be prepared before each session and to visualize in my mind how I want to perform each lap. I have a sports psychologist who helps me find focus and prepare myself before each race. We speak before each Grand Prix starts.
Do you have any pre or post race rituals?
Definitely visualizing before the race. Also no gaming in the race week, especially as soon as I arrive at the track. I also make sure to always greet all the mechanics before the race starts. And we always do body warm ups. After that we do 5 minutes of complete silence to focus and calm the mind. Sometimes I listen to music.
Last season, I was listening to some Japanese music before races, which was nice since I'm not in Japan. But sometimes when I listened to music before the session, the song stayed with me throughout the whole race, which is kind of annoying, so I don't really do that anymore.
H: Formula 1 and the fashion world are beginning to intertwine a bit more. Do you follow the fashion world at all?
F: Would you say you are more influenced by European or Japanese style and trends?
I like oversized clothing, which is definitely more Japanese, but I also don't really wear Japanese clothes. I guess it's like a mix. I do like the Korean style of clothing. But recently I've also been trying to learn the Italian type of fashion. I like the fit and slender look Italians have. They’re always very well put together. I actually really enjoy the recent Alpha Tauri fashion because they changed the designer to a Korean one. Before they changed the designer, it was not really my style... I would love to have more of an influence on the Alpha Tauri fashion, but at the moment I'm not in the position to help. Hopefully in the future...
H: What are some goals you have for this new season coming up?
Get as many points as possible and beat my teammate.
A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT F1 IS EASY AND YOU DON'T NEED MUCH ENERGY TO DO IT, BUT IT’S ACTUALLY REALLY DIFFICULT. ENDURANCE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IN ONE RACE YOU LOSE ALMOST 4 KG IN WEIGHT.
H: Where are you most excited to race this season and why?
Japan, obviously. I have the dream of driving in front of Japanese fans now that I'm racing for F1, since the last time I drove in Japan was as a F4 driver. Also, as a driver the track there is really fun. I’m for sure not looking forward to Russia, And they actually just canceled that race anyways.
H: Do you recommend watching the Netflix show Drive to Survive?
I do really like the Netflix show, but sometimes they over dramatize some situations. I think Netflix also made us gain a lot of new Formula 1 fans, especially in the US. But please don't watch my episode this season. I heard that one episode is just for me and I have no idea what I'm doing… so it's a bit scary.
H: Are there any misconceptions people have about F1 drivers?
Most people think that F1 drivers are not real athletes and that F1 is not an actual sport. A lot of people believe that F1 is easy and you don't need much energy to do it. Or that we don't need to train much. But it’s actually really difficult and a lot of our trainers come from football. My trainer even said that F1 is as hard as football in terms of endurance and fitness. Endurance is extremely important, as well as neck muscle and core. In one race you lose almost 4 kg in weight. Even just the difference between F2 and F1 was huge for me. As soon as I stepped up to F1, I felt my neck muscles a lot more. In terms of fitness, I really struggled last year when I first joined F1. It's quite a physically demanding sport. I also hate the smell inside the gym and we train there every day for a total of four hours.
H: What would you be doing if you weren't racing?
Oh, I really like this question. Definitely either a football player or a chef. In terms of cooking, I would love to combine Japanese food with foods of other cultures, like even Italian. But also, if I retire from racing I will never go to the gym again. No chance.
I USED TO COOK A LOT WHEN I LIVED IN SWITZERLAND BECAUSE I COULDN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AT THE RESTAURANTS, BUT NOW, ESPECIALLY LIVING IN ITALY, I COOK A LOT LESS BECAUSE THE FOOD AT THE RESTAURANTS IS SO GOOD.
