Nyck de Vries “had the pace” for Formula 1 according to Yuki Tsunoda

Only ten races and Nyck de Vries is gone. The Red Bull family does not forgive when a driver underperforms and fails to meet expectations. Nyck De Vries paid the price for it. Facing a competitive Yuki Tsunoda since the start of the season, the only one to bring points to his team, the Dutchman couldn’t measure up. Yuki Tsunoda reflects on the collaboration with the Formula E champion.

Tsunoda on his relationship with De Vries

The Japanese driver states that he had a very good relationship with Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri. « I had great moments with Nyck during the last ten races. As a friend, I have enjoyed the time I spent with him », said Tsunoda.

But that’s not all. Yuki Tsunoda also states that Nyck de Vries had the pace to stay in Formula 1 and deserved his place. Himself, who took some time to get into the rhythm, knows that Formula 1 can be cruel, but we must give drivers a chance to develop.

« I learned by his side and we also had good times outside of the track. He had a lot of experience in other categories and gave the team valuable feedback based on his knowledge. He had the pace », he insisted. Strong words coming from someone who had become his friend. He also highlights what Nyck de Vries was able to bring to the team in terms of working with the engineers, a behind-the-scenes but necessary job.

Tsunoda happy to team up with Ricciardo

Japanese will therefore have a new teammate this season, with the arrival of Daniel Ricciardo. This doesn’t seem to bother the driver, who continues to learn and get used to Formula 1. He already mentions that the relationship should be good with the Australian. « I’m looking forward to working with Daniel. I can’t say that I know him very well, but we had a fun day together, at the beginning of the year, in Miami. »

But more than that, Ricciardo’s return to AlphaTauri will allow Tsunoda to benefit from an experienced and eight-time Grand Prix-winning driver. This is an advantage for the young Japanese driver who continues to learn. « I think I will benefit from having a very good experienced driver as my teammate. I’m sure I can learn a lot from him, and I also expect him to bring something to the team and contribute to the development of the car », stated the Japanese driver.

Improvements for AlphaTauri

Despite the arrival of Daniel Ricciardo, or rather his comeback, the focus should be on the car at AlphaTauri. Finishing last in the constructors’ standings with only two points, it is essential for the Faenza team to gain competitiveness. With Tsunoda and Ricciardo, the driver duo can bring in a lot of points if the car allows it.

« For this weekend, we have made further improvements for the race in Hungary, in addition to the ones we made for the last race. Budapest has completely different track characteristics compared to the last two races, and its low-speed corners should suit our car better than the high-speed corners », explained Yuki Tsunoda.

The Japanese driver wants more and wants AlphaTauri to progress to return to the midfield. « As a team, we are very motivated to move forward and develop the car as much as possible. I have reviewed the latest races, especially the one in Silverstone, and I am in a positive mindset. »