Tsunoda hopes to better last season’s points with Alpha Tauri’s new car

PARIS – Yuki Tsunoda said the Alpha Tauri car for the 2022 Formula One season “looks great” and the Japanese driver hopes it propels him to improving on his points haul of 32 last year.

The 21-year-old was overshadowed by team-mate Pierre Gasly, who collected 110 points in Alpha Tauri’s best season.

Speaking as the team unveiled their car for the upcoming season, Tsunoda said he was looking forward to taking it out onto the Barcelona track next week for the first time in testing.

Among the new modifications following rule changes for the upcoming season are 18-inch tyres as opposed to 13 inches and alterations in the shape of the car.

“It really does look great,” said Tsunoda in a team press release.

“Of course we’ve not seen the real car on track yet, but the new shape and design (including new blue and white livery) are really cool.”

Tsunoda finished 2021 with his best result of the campaign with fourth in the final race the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

He wants to use that as a springboard for the 2022 season.

“I want to improve my pace and the consistency in the way I drive,” he said.

“I know what I have to do to achieve that.

“If I can work the way I did at the last three or four races of last year, that will be a good way to start. It won’t be easy, but I am confident that I can achieve that.”

Tsunoda said the change in the tyres will not affect him and he’s tested the new model in a simulator.

“The car generally feels a lot sharper, with sharper movement and over a long run, the bigger wheels give you a completely different feel,” he said.

“I’ve experienced this feeling before, because when I raced in Formula 2, we made the same switch to 18 inches and I felt the same difference there.”

Gasly said he loved the look of the new model.

“This year sees a huge change to the car as, due to the new regulations, the look and design is completely different, so the team has had to start from a clean sheet of paper,” said the 26-year-old Frenchman.

Gasly – whose best showing last term was third in the Azerbaijan GP – says he hopes to be fighting at the front of the pack throughout the season.

“I will be trying to build on the run I had of very good results and to continue to be on top of my game with the car I have,” he said.

“I really hope that this is a year when I can fight at the very front, to finish regularly in the top five and even higher if the car is good enough for that.” – AFP, February 14, 2022