AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda has predicted a “physically demanding” race in his first Singapore Grand Prix.
F1’s return to Singapore after a two-season absence will see Tsunoda – who graduated to F1 in 2021 – race around the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the very first time this weekend.
This race also will be the fourth new F1 circuit that Tsunoda is taking on this season after Australia, Miami and Canada– of which he failed to finish in the points on those three occasions.
The 22 year-old Japanese driver therefore had admitted that he isn’t expecting “an easy event” in Singapore, as he iterated that he will deploy his usual proccess at a new F1 circuit of building up his confidence lap by lap across practice.
He though has refused to rule out a top-ten finish as he commented: “It will be difficult, but if we can get more performance out of the car then our target has to be aiming to score points.”
Tsunoda though has already conducted simulator work and he described the circuit as “busy”, with constant movement of the steering wheel, whilst finding “no place to rest on the lap.”
In terms of physical impact upon fitness in the first of a double-header with his home race – Japan taking place next weekend, Tsunoda is expecting Singapore to “be physically demanding” in terms of hot humid weather which has meant adapting his training to best prepare himself.
During the extended gap between the Italian GP and this weekend, Tsunoda has also signed a new one-year contract to stay with AlphaTauri for 2023 season.
Speaking pre-race-weekend about sorting out his F1 future, Tsunoda commented that he was “very happy” to end speculation around his future, despite having felt “fairly confident” that he would remain with the team after having off-track worried about his 2023 plans.
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