Yuki Tsunoda isn’t ruling out the potential for at some point working within the Indianapolis 500, however not anytime quickly.
The 24-year-old, who competes for Crimson Bull’s sister outfit RB in Components 1, drove an Indy automotive for the primary time on Tuesday as a part of a celebration of Honda’s ‘Hybrid Heroes’ forward of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. The outing, which additionally noticed three-time Components 1 World Champion Max Verstappen drive the Acura ARX-06 GTP entry, got here on an estimated 1.3-mile street course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After being coached up by six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, Tsunoda made a few runs that lasted roughly a mixed half-hour, and it was very evident he was pushing the restrict immediately. And the smile from the affable Japanese driver was wider than normal as soon as he climbed out of the cockpit of the No. 93 entry that was ready by Chip Ganassi Racing.
Through the occasion, Tsunoda took half in a choose media roundtable, the place Motorsport.com requested if this expertise supplied curiosity in moving into an Indycar extra sooner or later if a chance was offered – probably mirroring the trail of ex-F1 castoff and fellow countryman Takuma Sato, a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.
“If I’ve [an] alternative and I really feel it’s the appropriate time, for positive I’d like to,” Tsunoda stated. “I just like the US itself, so I don’t thoughts dwelling right here as nicely.
“However I really feel prefer it’s not the time as a result of I can’t think about I’m driving at [Indianapolis Motor Speedway], greater than a two-hour race and we do greater than 200 mph or no matter each lap. For me, it’s scary. I can’t think about myself driving greater than two hours and being in that automotive. I don’t know. For now, I [am not] actually aiming or fascinated with IndyCar, however yeah, why not sooner or later?”
Tsunoda supplied extra thought relating to his tackle the oval racing that could be a vital a part of North America’s premier open-wheel championship.
“Not afraid, however undoubtedly doesn’t really feel absolutely snug driving an oval,” Tsunoda stated. “I respect the drivers so much. Driving [Indianapolis] the 2 hours, like how can this driver drive in a circle, actually two hours subsequent to the wall each lap. When you’ve got a collision, it may be actually, actually huge as nicely, so these issues I can’t think about proper now. And proper now, I’m probably not fascinated with the ovals.
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Workforce
Picture by: Honda
“You recognize, [the Indy 500] is such a cool competitors and a lot of the drivers will dream about being there, however at present I don’t have that focus on [or] something. As soon as I begin getting a bit older and my mentality of issues change, possibly I’ll strive at that time; drink the milk on the finish of the race, hopefully.”
So far as what it was prefer to drive an Indycar, Tsunoda wasn’t fazed by the shortage of energy steering because of the slow-speed corners of the circuit structure, however did work up a sweat after sitting behind the aeroscreen for the primary time, reverse of the Halo in F1.
Moreover, although, the enjoyment he felt behind the wheel reminded him extra of his karting days as he was in a position to assault every nook.
“It simply feels a bit extra like karting – you’ll be able to mess around extra,” he stated. “Components 1 vehicles are managed by the programs, electronics, however this automotive feels extra direct, so it’s a must to nonetheless management the activation part to regulate the sliding of the rear; that feels fairly good, particularly [since] you’ll be able to drift round just a little bit [and] slide round within the automotive. So, that feels good. Straightaway I felt snug, so in a position to push just a little bit extra.”
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Workforce, Scott Dixon
Picture by: Honda
One of many distinctive components, in response to Dixon, was Tsunoda’s curiosity in studying each small factor of the instruments accessible within the automotive right away, notably the roll bars, engine modes and deployment of the hybrid system.
David Salters, the president of Honda Racing Company, confirmed to Motorsport.com that it didn’t take lengthy to present Tsunoda the possibility to push the tempo.
“It was fairly spectacular to see, like Flip 3, he was on full push,” Salters stated. “After we began off, taking it simple, the automotive was in follow mode – powertrain – after which he got here in, and there was a little bit of a aspect dialogue for brand new boots and race-quali energy. And he fairly loved that, I believe.”
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