Yuki Tsunoda is all set to make his Red Bull debut on home soil at the Japanese Grand Prix. The 24-year-old will be competing at the Suzuka Circuit, where he’s expected to receive the loudest cheers from his home crowd. Red Bull has also introduced a special white livery to mark the cherry blossom season in Japan, and many fans are hopeful that Tsunoda can secure a spot on the podium. If he succeeds, he will become the third Japanese driver to achieve this feat.
Here are the other Japanese drivers to get a podium finish at Japanese Grand Prix
Kamui Kobayashi, who drove for Sauber, is the only Japanese driver to finish on the podium at the Japanese Grand Prix in the 21st century, securing third place in 2012. He followed in the footsteps of Aguri Suzuki, who finished third at Suzuka in 1990 while driving for Larrousse.
Another Japanese driver to achieve a podium was Takuma Sato, who claimed third place at the 2004 United States Grand Prix while driving for BAR (British American Racing). While drivers like Satoru Nakajima, Ukyo Katayama, Kazuki Nakajima, and Shinji Nakano showed their talents at various races across the globe, none managed to reach the podium.
As the official Formula 1 X handle revisited the iconic moment when Kamui Kobayashi stood on the podium, fans quickly reacted with excitement and anticipation for what might be in store for Tsunoda. One fan tweeted, “That Suzuka podium in 2012 was pure magic for Kamui Kobayashi! Japan has such a rich F1 history, can’t wait to see what the Japanese GP has in store this time! #F1.” Another wrote, “Kamui’s podium was legendary! A proud day for Japan in F1 history. Let’s see if Yuki Tsunoda can add to the legacy this year at his home race!” Hoping for another memorable moment, one fan posted, “Let’s hope for another iconic moment at Suzuka this weekend! #JapaneseGP.”
Also Read: Is Red Bull’s white livery “a good omen” for Japanese Grand Prix? Here’s what happened in 2021
Yuki Tsunoda is the first Japanese driver to race for Red Bull. His best finish with the Racing Bulls came at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he secured a fourth-place finish. If he manages to make it to the podium at Suzuka this season, especially with a top-two finish, he would cement his place in F1 history and inspire future Japanese drivers to follow in his footsteps.
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