Tsunoda given hero's welcome ahead of Japanese Grand Prix / Photo: Philip FONG - AFP
-
Sciver-Brunt fit for England's T20 World Cup semi-final
-
Bordeaux-Begles handed favourable draw in Champions Cup defence
-
Key challenges for Laporta in second Barca term
-
'Thought they'd never be caught': The strike that killed Iran's Khamenei
-
Canada to join Eurovision Song Contest
-
Djokovic, Sinner hope for easier ride after Wimbledon scares
-
Swedish court orders Google pay $1.46 bn for favouring its price comparisons
-
Injured Serena's Wimbledon doubles bid with sister Venus in doubt
-
German FA headquarters searched in Euro 2024 graft probe
-
European stocks mostly drop with eyes on US Fed
-
Village People singer Victor Willis dies at 74
-
Genesio replaces Beye as Marseille boss
-
Thousands rush to get tickets for Bayeux Tapestry's UK show
-
Catholic society defies Vatican again by ordaining new bishops
-
Chinese firm sells hyper-real, 'always loyal' humanoid robots
-
Breakaway Catholic society defies Vatican again by ordaining bishops
-
World's oceans break June heat record: EU monitor
-
Venezuelans search, suffer one week after deadly quakes
-
China imposes 'national security' rules on overseas investments
-
Asian stocks mostly up as traders eye crucial US jobs data
-
'Nothing left except death': Myanmar families grieve huge war toll
-
Ronaldo and Modric struggle to defy Father Time at World Cup
-
England face DR Congo hurdle, USA prepare for World Cup moment in spotlight
-
The secret lives of Ukraine's deep-strike drone team
-
Myanmar mourns as post-coup conflict death toll hits 100,000
-
NATO project tests perennial grass to clean Ukraine's war-hit soil
-
Vietnam unveils 'baby bonus' after scrapping two-child policy
-
Duffy returns for New Zealand against West Indies
-
Majestic Olise raises France to another level at World Cup
-
Mbappe dazzles as France march on at World Cup; Norway, Mexico advance
-
Mexico see off Ecuador to break 40-year World Cup curse
-
US govt lifts restrictions on powerful AI models, Anthropic says
-
'My dream is broken': Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
-
Trump earned over $1 bn from crypto ventures in 2025
-
Indian sailors fear returning to Gulf after Middle East war
-
The Afghan women farmers keeping their village alive
-
Fear and anger brew inside Meta amid AI frenzy
-
Asian stocks fluctuate as traders eye crucial US jobs data
-
After 250 years, the 'American dream' is tarnished but alive
-
Madison Square Garden: from Nazis to Knicks, and now... Taylor's wedding?
-
'I'm going to stay calm': 48 hours under the rubble in Venezuela
-
'Love it': Wimbledon's military stewards tradition turns 80
-
Breakaway Catholic sect defies Vatican again by ordaining bishops
-
Venezuela quake survivors cherish kindness of strangers
-
Mexico v Ecuador World Cup game delayed by one hour: FIFA
-
US deports first migrant to Pacific nation Palau
-
Talks in Qatar after US-Iran deal: What we know
-
Potter admits Sweden couldn't live with France in World Cup defeat
-
Germany's ePA Rollout Puts Europe's Health-Data Supply Chain to the Test, Black Book Provider Pulse Finds
-
Florida's Wildlife Corridor Is Turning Five! Live Wildly Celebrates with a New Interactive Map Showing How Greater Conservation Inside the Corridor Can Bring Billions in Benefits
Tsunoda given hero's welcome ahead of Japanese Grand Prix
Four years ago Yuki Tsunoda was watching the Japanese Grand Prix from the stands -- now giant pictures of his face welcome him to the Suzuka circuit as he prepares to drive in Sunday's race.
Tsunoda is in his second season in Formula One with Alpha Tauri and will make his long-awaited Japanese Grand Prix debut when the race returns from a three-year absence because of the pandemic.
The 22-year-old says he feels no pressure despite three huge pictures of his face adorning the grandstand.
Instead he is looking forward to the "extra energy" he says the home fans will bring him.
"It's just hard to imagine I'm driving there because four years ago I was one of the spectators watching these guys here, and now I'm driving in front of the Japanese fans," Tsunoda, who has already agreed to stay with Alpha Tauri next season, said Thursday.
"I didn't expect the huge pictures at the grandstand. It feels really supportive and gives me extra energy."
Tsunoda said he has been mobbed on his return to Japan, with fans welcoming him at the airport and waiting outside his hotel.
He said he is looking forward to experiencing the Suzuka circuit in a more powerful car, having previously raced there in Formula Four.
"The last time I drove here at Suzuka I won, so it's a good memory," said Tsunoda, the first Japanese driver in Formula One since Kamui Kobayashi in 2014.
"It's a lot different driving Formula One so I need a good build-up. Still, I think it's one of the best tracks in my experience."
Tsunoda came fourth in last year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for his best finish.
His best result this season was a seventh-place finish at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix but he has failed to complete a race four times.
He crashed out on his 36th lap at last week's Singapore Grand Prix and he said he still has "a lot to learn" before the end of the season.
"For sure, the kind of mistakes I did in Singapore have to be reduced and a lot of things like penalties, those things are unnecessary," he said.
"Those things I definitely have to improve but at the same time the pace with one lap I'm quite happy with and I've had progress so far."
P.A.Mendoza--AT
