Formula 1: Yuki Tsunoda to stay with AlphaTauri in 2023

Contract extension for Yuki Tsunoda: The Japanese driver receives a new one-year contract and drives his third season for AlphaTauri in 2023. If you love F1, use 22Bet in Kenya to bet on the best races and the most promising drivers.

Nothing is fixed for Pierre Gasly, but AlphaTauri now confirmed the other driver: Yuki Tsunoda will remain a Scuderia AlphaTauri driver in 2023. This means that the Japanese driver will also drive his third season in Formula 1 at the Faenza-based racing team.

 “After moving to Italy last year to be closer to the factory, I really feel part of the team. I’m happy to be able to continue racing with them in 2023,” said a delighted Yuki Tsunoda about the one-year contract extension. In 2021, the Japanese driver was ordered to make a ‘punitive move’ from the UK to Faenza to be closer to the team.

Tost: Tsunoda has improved a lot.

“Yuki is a very talented driver and has improved a lot this season,” Franz Tost praised his protégé. “The pace he has shown recently is clear evidence of his steep learning curve.” The AlphaTauri team boss still expects strong results from Tsunoda in the final six races of the season. Currently, Yuki Tsunoda is 16th in the drivers’ standings with eleven points, his best result so far a seventh place at Imola. However, the Japanese driver has remained without points since his tenth-place finish in Barcelona. 

“I would like to say a huge thank you to Red Bull, Honda, and Scuderia AlphaTauri for continuing to allow me to race in Formula 1,” said Yuki Tsunoda, thanking his sponsors. The Red Bull Junior program and the Honda Formula Dream project paved the way for him to enter the premier class. However, Tsunoda continues to focus on the current season, he said. “We’re still pushing hard in the midfield, so I’m fully focused on that.” The 22-year-old announced that he wants to end the season on a high. “And then, of course, I’m looking forward to next year!”

Thanks from Franz Tost went to Honda, Red Bull, and Dr. Helmut Marko: “Moreover, it’s a testament to Dr. Marko and his driver program that we can get these young talents out of the junior categories and develop them.” Yuki Tsunoda definitely deserves a place in Formula 1, he said, possibly upon Pierre Gasly’s departure as a team leader at AlphaTauri. Tost trusts him to do that: “If the car is good enough, sure.”