Picture Credit: Formula 1
Following his first two successful years in the Formula 1, Japanese racer Yuki Tsunoda has signed a contract extension with Faenza-based F1 team Scuderia AlphaTauri until 2023 season. The 22-year-old racer ended the final race of 2021 with a top 4 finish in his rookie season in F1.
Yuki Tsunoda has secured top 10 finishes in Bahrain GP (8) on March 20, Imola GP (7) on April 24, and Barcelona GP (10) on May 22 in the year 2022.
Following his contract extension with AlphaTauri, Yuki Tsunoda expressed his gratitude towards Formula 1 teams Red Bull, Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri and said, "I want to say a huge thank you to Red Bull, Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri for continuing to give me the opportunity to drive in F1.
"Having moved to Italy last year, to be closer to the factory, I really feel part of the team and am glad that I get to carry on racing with them in 2023. Of course, our 2022 season isn’t over yet and we’re still pushing hard in the midfield battle, so I’m fully focused on finishing it on a high and then we will look forward to next year."
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has expected 'strong results' from Tsunoda in the remaining races of the year and said, "As we’ve seen since he joined us last year, Yuki is a very talented driver and has improved a lot this season. The pace he has shown recently is clear evidence of a steep learning curve, which proves he deserves a seat in F1, and I still expect some strong results from him in the last six races of 2022.
"As I always say, a driver needs at least three years to fully get to grips with Formula 1, so I’m pleased he’s been given the time to show his full potential."