In an exclusive interview with Paddock Magazine, Japan’s F1 hero, Yuki Tsunoda, revealed the top three areas in which he has improved the most since his F1 debut. And, more importantly, is he ready for a top seat? Let’s find out!
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There have been some ups and downs in terms of car performance this season, but you scored more than twice the number of points your teammate scored [till the Spanish GP]. Is this your strongest season in Formula 1 so far?
Yuki Tsunoda: Yes, I would say so. Obviously, the overall result is always a combination of car performance and your performance. Last year was already decent, but we struggled a lot with the car’s performance. To answer your question, that would be a yes. I’m in very good shape now, and I’d also like to highlight my mentality and approach to how I go into the race weekend. This is my best season in Formula 1 so far.
From your perspective, what are the main factors behind your impressive performance this year?
YT: Self-control and stress management are two of the main factors behind my impressive performance this year. I focus more on the feedback from the engineers, and I always try to control myself in the car so as not to lose focus. Since Saudi Arabia, I have made further progress in terms of controlling my emotions, and so far, it’s been relatively consistent. So yeah, improving self-control and stress management helped me develop how I build up the race weekend and focus only on driving and feedback, which eventually enhances my performance.
This is my best season in Formula 1 so far
Yuki Tsunoda
You touched on the angry radio outbursts – you’ve got a new performance coach for this year. Does John also help you with the mental side of things? And in general, how important is a coach in the daily life of an F1 driver?
YT: Self-control is something that I was working on last year as well, so it’s not directly coming from John. Actually, Michael (Italiano) helped me quite a lot with that before. As for John, I especially like his approach; he helped me a lot mentally. He’s giving me a lot of positive energy, and it’s always fun to chat with him. I have a very good relationship with him outside the racetrack as well. You’re mainly in the engineering room, in the car, or…
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