Tost: Tsunoda can bring "extraordinary" strengths to AlphaTauri in F1
Franz Tost is confident Yuki Tsunoda can bring his "extraordinary" strengths to AlphaTauri despite facing a steep learning curve through his debut Formula 1 season

Tsunoda will embark on his rookie F1 campaign in 2021 after graduating from Formula 2, where he finished third in the championship last year.
The Japanese youngster is set to become the first driver born in the 2000s to race in F1, but faces limited opportunities to get up to speed before the opening race in Bahrain next month.
Teams have just three days of pre-season testing in 2021, with most set to split that evenly between its drivers. Tsunoda has managed to complete some private running in some of AlphaTauri's older cars to compensate for this.
PLUS: How AlphaTauri has adapted to F1's new rules
Speaking following the launch of AlphaTauri's new AT02 car ahead of the 2021 season, team principal Tost said that while Tsunoda would face the regular challenges rookies encounter in F1, his skills would still shine through.
"We expect his learning curve to be quite steep, so he should be able to achieve a good performance quite quickly," Tost said.
"Of course, he will have some crashes. That's part of the development programme.
"But what is very extraordinary on his side is the car control, his strength on the braking and his speed in fast corners.

"If he continues his learning process, like he did at the tests in Imola and Abu Dhabi last year, I'm sure we will see some fantastic races."
Tsunoda conducted test runs in the 2018-spec Toro Rosso at Imola last year before driving the 2020 car in the post-season Abu Dhabi test. He has also conducted running in the 2019 Toro Rosso at Imola and Misano this year.
PLUS: The meteoric rise of F1's first 21st century-born racer
While expressing his faith in Tsunoda, Tost explained how team-mate Pierre Gasly could help the Japanese youngster's development this year and bring out the best in him.
"Pierre is a very high skilled driver and he now also has the necessary experience to be a leader in the team and for Yuki," Tost said.
"Every driver compares themselves with their team-mate so the better the latter is, the more you are pushed to improve yourself.
"Yuki can learn a lot from Pierre in all aspects, for example comparing the lap times, the set-up of the car, the driving lines. This is all very important, especially on those tracks that are new to Yuki.
"If you have a strong and experienced team-mate you can compare many different parameters, which help to improve your own performance."

Previous article
Eight things Red Bull must do to beat Mercedes in 2021
Next article
How AlphaTauri has adapted to F1's new rules

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Yuki Tsunoda |
Author | Luke Smith |
Tost: Tsunoda can bring "extraordinary" strengths to AlphaTauri in F1
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era