Yuki Tsunoda, exchange helmet with Alonso nostalgia “Brain blown away” Alpha Tauri F1[F1-Gate.com]

Yuki Tsunoda looked back on his ‘brain-blowing’ experience with Fernando Alonso in the 2022 F1 season. Yuki Tsunoda joined the grid as an AlphaTauri F1 driver in 2020 and scored his first point of the season at the third round of the 2023 season, The Australian Grand Prix, in its third year.

On the Beyond the Grid Podcast, Yuki Tsunoda said that Fernando Alonso has been his idol since he started watching F1. “My father loved Fernando and I was a Fernando fan too. When I went to see the Suzuka Grand Prix when I was 12, my father drove Fernando from the last corner consistently close to the white line, perfect every lap. Yuki Tsunoda said. “I’ve seen Fernando since then and I still can’t believe I’m racing with him. It’s unbelievable. At that point, 13 years later I was racing him. I never thought about it.” “I wanted to change my helmet ever since I became an F1 driver, but I was too nervous to ask for it. But he actually said, “Yuki, let’s change helmets!” It literally blew my brain out. I tried not to show my happiness in front of him.” “It’s a bit embarrassing, but I was very happy in my heart, and after that day, I called my father straight away. It’s very unbelievable that I’m racing in 2018,” said Yuki Tsunoda about the strengths he has gained from his karting days and how he has used them in F1. At the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix 2021, Yuki Tsunoda tried to hold off Lewis Hamilton, but was overtaken in the end. And he learned a lot from how Alonso defended his position from Hamilton after he passed. “My strength comes from karting. I learned a lot,” said Yuki Tsunoda. “In Hungary 2021, when Lewis tried to overtake me, naturally I tried to defend as much as I could, but after four laps he passed me. Fernando defended from Lewis after he passed me.” I learned a lot from that.” Positioning the car, where I was trying to win from Lewis before he passed me I was able to imitate Fernando as much as possible and I was able to defend 8 laps at that time.” View this post on Instagram Post shared by FORMULA 1® (@f1)