Yuki Tsunoda lifts lid on Tost rule after being forced to move to Italy

AlphaTauri

Tsunoda lifts lid on Tost rule after being forced to move to Italy

Tsunoda was relocated to Italy after the Monaco Grand Prix

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall

Thursday 3 June 2021 17:50

AlphaTauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda has revealed the strict schedule imposed on him by team principal Franz Tost after Red Bull forced the driver to relocate to Italy.

After a sensational pre-season test and a promising points-scoring debut in Bahrain, Tsunoda has since struggled at the following four races.

Following his collision into a wall during second practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, the Japanese driver was informed by Red Bull of its decision to relocate him from Milton Keynes to Faenza.

Now living under the rule of Tost, Tsunoda has lifted the lid on his busy schedule.

“Last week, after Monaco, I flew directly to Faenza and most of the plan, like the whole day, is scheduled by Franz Tost," confirmed Tsunoda.

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"From nine o’clock, a gym session until 11, which I have never had this experience from a big morning gym. It was hard to enjoy that one.

“Eleven until 12:30 was an engineering meeting having lunch and also English lessons because my English is not perfect so I think it was good for me also, the opportunity to learn English.

“Three to 16:30 is again, an engineering meeting and 16:30 until six I’ve got a big gym session.

“Most of the things are scheduled by Franz Tost and I didn’t enjoy last week but it is what it is.

"But the engineer meetings especially, that makes it really good. [I have] a good understanding of the car and that was really good preparation for this week so it was good.

“Mainly the gym sessions, the time is much longer than usual so hopefully I won’t be like a bodybuilder at the end of the year but we will see.”

Italy move the "big change" Tsunoda needed

Tsunoda has readily conceded his recent performances have not been to the level required, accepting that change was needed.

“I got told while I was in Monaco, I think it was on Saturday, that my crash in FP2 was not a good thing and Red Bull was not happy with that," added Tsunoda. "I think it is good to have a big change for me.

“I think the last three races, four races, I haven’t had a good race and to change something you need a big difference.

“Actually, I was asking Red Bull from the beginning of the season [if it was] possible to go and move to Italy but they said at first no, I would stay in Milton Keynes.

"But now I can go to Italy and spend more time with the team so that is positive for me."