How Red Bull’s latest prospect carries the hopes of a nation
Yuki Tsunoda is the first driver born in the 2000s to reach F1 – and he’s barely tall enough for his feet to reach the pedals. But Red Bull and Honda have high hopes for their Japanese protege, says LUKE SMITH
Despite its well-documented passion for motor racing, Japan has produced a mere handful of Formula 1 drivers. Not since Kamui Kobayashi’s staccato comeback with Caterham in 2014 has a Japanese driver lined up on a grand prix grid – until now.
As a product of both Red Bull and Honda’s junior programmes, Yuki Tsunoda has experienced one of the fastest graduations to F1 since Max Verstappen, going from Japanese F4 to F1 in just three years. He is the first driver born this century to race in F1.
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