Yuki Tsunoda achieved a significant milestone by finishing 10th at the Japanese Grand Prix, securing his inaugural Formula 1 points on his home turf. Expressing his elation, Tsunoda described the feeling as “amazing” following this accomplishment.
Hailing from Kanagawa, Tsunoda participated in his third home race on Sunday, clinching the 10th spot and earning a solitary point. This marked his first tangible success at the Japanese GP, having finished 13th and 12th in the 2022 and 2023 editions respectively.
Tsunoda attributed his achievement to the efficient performance of the RB pit stop crew. During his final pit stop on lap 22, they executed a flawless maneuver that allowed him to overtake Lance Stroll from Aston Martin in the pit lane.
Reflecting on his breakthrough, Tsunoda conveyed his excitement to the media, stating, “[I’m] feeling amazing, after such a long two years that I’ve been unable to score points.
“It’s a very happy feeling and a big credit to the team who did a fantastic job in the pitstops to be able to rejoin the track in front of the Aston Martin.
“Without that, I wouldn’t be able to score points. Big credit to the teams and also the Japanese fans. I feel more support every year. It’s a good thing and I just have to keep matching the expectation.”
Tsunoda has emerged as the standout performer for RB Racing in the initial four rounds, while his teammate Daniel Ricciardo has faced challenges in keeping up with the pace.
With two consecutive point-scoring finishes under his belt, the Japanese driver is now setting his sights on further enhancements as the season progresses.
“Hopefully, I can have a very strong fight against even the top five teams,” Tsunoda expressed, emphasizing his ambition for greater competitiveness.
“But as a team, we’re currently building the base to have a better step forward in the future. We have pretty good confidence that we can achieve points.
“I think we’ve had a good start already, scoring [at] two races in a row. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and see where it goes in the future.”
