Who is Yuki Tsunoda, the fiery F1 driver fined for an ableist slur at the Austrian Grand Prix, and could he become Japan’s first world champion?
- On the track, the diminutive F1 driver is known for his aggressive racing style, hot temper and foul-mouthed radio messages; he found himself in hot water after the most recent Grand Prix
- Off-track, Tsunoda is better known for his dapper fashion, goofball antics and an insatiable love of food; he dreams of one day opening his own restaurant
Japanese F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda made headlines this week, though unfortunately not for his performance at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. Tsunoda, who drives for the RB Formula One team, was slapped with a €40,000 (US$43,190) fine for using an ableist slur over his team radio during a qualifying segment.
Though he quickly apologised for his actions, noting on social media that English isn’t his first language and he didn’t realise the full extent of the word’s meaning – fans and the media pointed out that this wasn’t the first time the driver has been in hot water for his fiery temper.
To be the first Japanese FIA Formula One World Champion, Tsunoda will have to jump through more than a few daunting hoops. For one, he’ll need a better car, and for that he’ll have to prove to his bosses that he deserves an upgrade to Red Bull Racing – the drinks giant also owns VCARB – to race alongside current world champion Max Verstappen.
Tsunoda’s racing adventures began back home in Japan at age four when his father, Nobuaki Tsunoda, a former gymkhana motorsport racer himself, took him karting. He was immediately drawn to the sport and got his first taste of professional racing in 2010 when he joined the JAF Junior Karting Championship at just 10 years old.