Formula 1
Tsunoda contract extension was never in doubt for Tost
AlphaTauri Formula 1 boss Franz Tost says there was never a doubt that Yuki Tsunoda would get a new contract with the team beyond the 2021 season.
Pablo Elizalde Oleg Karpov
Edited: Sep 21, 2021, 1:10 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Rookie Tsunoda arrived in F1 with high expectations, but has endured an erratic campaign so far, with several crashes in the first half of the season and being overshadowed by teammate Pierre Gasly.
AlphaTauri announced last week that it would retain both Gasly and Tsunoda for 2022, and the Japanese driver admitted he was surprised to have his contract extended given his on-track performances so far.
"To be honest, my first half of the season was quite inconsistent. From my side I was a bit surprised I'll be staying next year," he said.
But Tost insists Red Bull's sister team was always committed to giving Tsunoda more time to develop.
Asked by Motorsport.com if there was ever a doubt that Tsunoda would get a new deal, Tost said: "For me personally no, because nowadays if you bring a rookie into Formula 1, you must give him time.
"Formula 1 is really so complex, is so difficult. Yuki so far has done a reasonably good job. He was fast, he finished in Budapest in the sixth position, and his first race he was ninth in Bahrain.
"Of course, he had some crashes, but I always say the crash period is part of the education process. How will someone find the limit if he is not allowed to crash?"
While Tost says he hopes Tsunoda's "crash period is finished now", he recognises the remaining races of the season are also likely to be difficult for the rookie driver.
"We are looking forward for the second half of the season. Although it will not be an easy one because all these young drivers don't know neither America nor Mexico, nor Sao Paolo, nor Turkey, Saudi Arabia no one knows," Tost said.
"That means there's a lot of work in front of us to bring him on a good level. But on the side of Pierre Gasly, who is for me one of the fastest drivers in Formula 1 nowadays, he can learn a lot.
"I think that he will close this gap and I'm looking forward for this driver lined up next year when we have a new car, that at least there we have constant and that's important for us."
Tost also thinks that giving Tsunoda a new contract relatively early will help him rebuild his confidence.
"Of course, this helps, because he knows he is with the team," he added. "And as I mentioned already before, the second half of the season will not become so easy as he is on race tracks which he doesn't know.
"But nevertheless, he is improving his performance, he's doing a good job and therefore, parallel to this, he will also improve his self-confidence.
"And of course, if you crash with a Formula 1 car at higher speed it's not an easy one, just to take it away. But I think that Yuki has the nature to get back his self-confidence and as more laps as he's doing as better it will be.
Read Also:
- Ricciardo opens up on 'primal' feeling before shock Monza F1 win
- Alpine expects return to normal F1 form at Sochi
- Williams' race pace biggest confirmation of F1 progress, says Capito
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Mazepin: New chassis has "massively improved" F1 pace
Next article Formula 1 must design cars to race in rain, says Todt
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Pablo Elizalde
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
MotoGP
MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
Formula 1
Formula 1
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
More from
Racing Bulls
Who slept worst last night: Nikola Tsolov
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Who slept worst last night: Nikola Tsolov
Racing Bulls "not in a rush" to decide between three "fantastic" drivers for F1 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Racing Bulls "not in a rush" to decide between three "fantastic" drivers for F1 2027
Latest news
Yet another DNF for Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas: ‘Sometimes we don’t quite understand it’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
12 min
Yet another DNF for Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas: ‘Sometimes we don’t quite understand it’
Diogo Moreira: “From what we saw in the Austria test, Honda could fight for MotoGP title next year”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 46 min
Diogo Moreira: “From what we saw in the Austria test, Honda could fight for MotoGP title next year”
Lando Norris' LN4 Fusion granted entry to F2 for 2027
FIA F2
F2 FIA F2 1 h
Lando Norris' LN4 Fusion granted entry to F2 for 2027
Alex Marquez: MotoGP hurting future of young riders with punishing format
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Alex Marquez: MotoGP hurting future of young riders with punishing format
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe