Why Yuki Tsunoda move to Italy is "a gift"

AlphaTauri

Why Tsunoda move to Italy is "a gift"

The Japanese rookie has moved closer to AlphaTauri's Faenza base

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Saturday 12 June 2021 15:22

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost believes Yuki Tsunoda has been given "a gift" by being relocated from England to Italy.

The Japanese rookie has made the move to be closer to the team's Faenza base as he continues his F1 learning curve.

Tsunoda started his career with an electric display in Bahrain scattered with late overtaking lunges but has since seen mistakes eke into his performances and limiting his progress.

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On the move to Faenza, Tost joked: "It is a gift to go from England to Italy. Beautiful weather, fantastic kitchens, nice people.

"Apart from this, he has the possibility to work close together with the team, with the engineers because he still has to learn a lot.

"He always wanted to come to Italy during the winter months but then it was decided he should stay in England. Now he is in Italy, he is living there and he enjoys it.

"We are happy to have him close to us because then we have everything under control."

Tsunoda not under 24/7 surveillence

Red Bull motorsports advisor Dr Helmut Marko suggested Tsunoda would be under Tost's personal supervision in Italy.

Tost insisted he would only see Tsunoda in the factory and stressed the importance of the 21-year-old working more closely with the team of engineers.

"We are not living in the same apartment, It is enough if he sees me in the factory but it is not me that is important," he added.

"What is important is the cooperation with the engineers and with the trainers because they do most of the work and so far everything works well. Yuki is happy and how everything will come to an end, we will then see."