F1 News: Yuki Tsunoda RELISHES silencing doubters amid Daniel Ricciardo RB struggles

Daniel Ricciardo, VCARB, Visa, RB, 2024, Generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star RELISHES silencing doubters amid Ricciardo RB struggles

Yuki Tsunoda is exceeding expectations in 2024

Yara Elshebiny

Tuesday 16 April 2024 21:57

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Yuki Tsunoda has silenced doubters with a strong start to the 2024 season, overshadowing teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Tsunoda's contract extension last year was met with a degree of scepticism. Some favoured a Ricciardo-Liam Lawson line-up for this year, but the Japanese driver has thus far proved them wrong with a string of impressive performances.

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Currently sitting 11th in the driver's standings with seven points, Tsunoda has already surpassed Ricciardo's entire points tally from the 2023 season.

His impressive showing began in the Australian Grand Prix, where he clawed his way up to seventh.

He kept up his momentum on home soil in Japan, securing a crucial point for the team with a 10th-place finish, becoming the first Japanese driver to score points at Suzuka since Kamui Kobayashi in 2012.

It also served as a saving grace for the RB team after Ricciardo's huge crash with Williams' Alexander Albon on the very first lap.

Tsunoda, the first Japanese to score points at Suzuka in 12 years

Tsunoda: 'Love to prove people wrong'

Speaking to Channel 4 in Japan, Tsunoda addressed the narrative surrounding his early success. "You know, I love to prove some people wrong," he said.

Nyck de Vries partnered Tsunoda in the 2023 season, but due to his poor performance, it was announced Ricciardo would take over the AlphaTauri (now RB) seat from the Hungarian Grand Prix until the end of the 2023 season.

"It’s always the story," Tsunoda continued. "It’s the same as Nyck, people were saying Nyck can be a first driver. I got used to it, you know, like it’s nothing different, and I’m very happy that I’m able to prove people wrong.

"I just keep what I’m doing and in the end, that’s what I have to do to be a good performer and driver in Formula 1 for all and that’s what’s the top drivers have. I mean, I just keep the people surprised."