F1 Explains: Yuki Tsunoda talks F1 training, learning from teammates + food

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0:51This episode is sponsored by Honda. Since its first Formula One victory in the 1965 Mexico Grand Prix, Honda has always taken what's learned on the track and used it to build better cars for everyone. From pushing limits in F1 to engineering the next generation of hybrids like the Prelude Hybrid and Civic Sedan Hybrid, Honda proves that racing doesn't just inspire innovation, it drives it. And that idea of taking lessons from the racetrack and applying them to road cars has always been a part of Honda's DNA. Decades of engineering in the demanding world of Formula 1 have helped shape the performance and efficiency you see in Honda's road cars today.

1:36And now that same thinking is shaping the next generation of hybrids as well. Cars like the 2026 Prelude Hybrid and Civic Hybrid show that electrification can be both efficient and genuinely fun to drive. The 2026 Prelude Hybrid and Civic Sedan Hybrid are engineered for fun. From the racetrack to your driveway. Learn more about the Prelude and Civic and the latest innovations at Honda.com. Saving money on your next project now at Menards. Menards is the leading supplier of quality roof and floor trusses. Choose from our large selection of residential and post-frame trusses. or design custom trusses specifically for your project.

2:20Get started on your building project today in-store or on menards.com. Plus, view our weekly flyer for all the great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards.

2:41Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Formula One paddock and to F1 Explains. I'm Christian Hugill. This is the official Formula One podcast that answers your questions on the sport. If you've been watching F1 for five minutes, five days, five years, five decades, this podcast is for you. We aim to teach you stuff that you didn't know before about Formula One. How it works is you email F1explains at F1.com and then we do our very best to run up and down this paddock and find the best people to answer them. And speaking of the Formula One paddock, walking in for the morning as we stand and talk to you is Mr.

3:17Toto Wolff, looking radiant. Good morning, Toto. No, he didn't hear me. That's a shame. Oh, well. Toto Wolff there, everybody, on F1 Explains in a very quiet way. But he's not our star attraction this week. If you're new to the podcast, you may not know that some of our shows we record on main stages of Grand Prixs. and you can come and watch them and you can cheer and you can send your questions in. And that's what we did at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix with a fantastic crowd. One of the biggest crowds of the season, are we saying? Producer Jamie? He's nodding his head. So yeah, a wonderful crowd in Belgium.

3:54We had a fantastic time, not least because our guest is an incredibly popular man. Former Alfa Tauri, Racing Bulls and of course Red Bull Racing Driver. But now Red Bull's test and reserve driver across both teams, we spoke to the brilliant Yuki Tsunoda.

4:15Who would like to meet Yuki Tsunoda? OK, I've got a way of getting Yuki on this stage. One of my favourite Formula One memories was at the British Grand Prix a few years ago where there was some unbelievable chanting. It went like this. You've got to help me out with this, otherwise it's going to be incredibly embarrassing for me. The chant went, oh Yuki Tsunoda. Oh Yuki Tsunoda. Louder. Oh Yuki Tsunoda. Louder still, come on. Oh Yuki Tsunoda. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Yuki Tsunoda.

5:02See you, Yuki. Yuki, the first question has to be, what do you make to the chant? Good morning, everyone. Yeah, it's been a while to hear that. It's been a while to hear that? Yeah. Was that a Silverstone-specific thing? Maybe. I think I heard from Silverstone first. I was watching Kings of Leon at Silverstone a few years ago, and for no reason whatsoever, in the middle of Kings of Leon's set, they started chanting the crowd on Yuki Tsunoda the front man of Kings of Leon was incredibly confused first of all what is Kings of Leon Kings of Leon they are an American I believe rock band you know the song Sex is on Fire them so that chant was being sung right in the middle of the headline act at Silverstone this is like three years ago and I was obsessed with that I thought that started with Will I Can or something like that?

6:03Will I am? Will I am? Will I am? Will I can? I thought that... Will I am? Yeah. Oh, I don't know. No, this was definitely Kings of Leon. I'm going to do it one more time. I want to get you to sing the Yuki chants to Yuki. One, two, three. Oh, Yuki Tsunoda. Oh, Yuki Tsunoda. Oh, Yuki Tsunoda. Give yourselves a round of applause, everybody. Thank you. Thank you guys. Yuki, did you ever think when you were starting in motor racing all those years ago that you'd be one day stood on a stage with some confused people chanting at you? Never. Yuki, welcome to F1 Explains. It's lovely to have you here.

6:49Firstly, tell us a little bit about your role. You are Red Bull Racing's test and reserve driver across both of the Red Bull teams. What are you doing on a race weekend like this? What does it look like for you? Yeah, it's a bit less exciting, to be honest. I'm not going to lie. I mean, you know, watching from the screen, you know, like in FB1, FB2, next to the team engineer, you know, I wish it was obviously better to drive and actually at the track. But yeah, just basically learning every laps, every session from the drivers and engineers and also try to see, you know, from my perspective, if there's anything that the team can improve, how they can improve from the, you know, setup-wise and also compared to other teams.

7:42So those things. So I feel like I'm more watching screen and, like, you know, see data, those stuff, more than, you know, driving. And you've, of course, got to be ready to go at any moment. You said it's not quite as exciting. You're a racing driver, we get that. Guys, who would like to see Yuki Tsunoda back on the grid in a race seat next season?

8:05Yuki, everywhere we go in Formula 1, you are wildly popular. How does that feel? First of all, thanks for the support. Really appreciate it. Yes, definitely I would love to be back at the track. Definitely I miss this. especially qualifying you know they qualify when the it's my favorite session and people you know putting new tires and sending for one lap when I see this is definitely something that I miss most and yeah you know like amount of people that people watching in the grandstand and cheering for each drivers those kind of atmosphere I miss a lot so yeah like it gives me a lot of energy and motivation to, you know, stay fit and, you know, be back, wait for opportunity and if I have opportunity, that's great and I try to maximise that.

9:04You say that the, you're missing the chants from the crowd and the screams from the crowd. We still have support for Yuki Sinoda, don't we, ladies and gentlemen? We really do and it's lovely to see. Right, Yuki, F1 Explains is listened to all over the world. We asked people to get in touch and email f1explains at f1.com if they want to to come and meet you. Of course they said yes. Shall we get our first listener on to come and meet you and put you some questions? Yeah, why not? Let's do it. Belgium, give them a massive round of applause. Please welcome Scott.

9:37Scott, welcome. Scott, meet Yuki Tsunoda. Yuki Tsunoda meets Scott. Scott, tell us, where are you from? I'm from Dallas, Texas in the United States. Cool. Now, are you guys cheering for Dallas specifically or the USA? You've got some neighbours, Scott. Dallas is popular here. Well, we like our racing. Now, for those listening to the podcast feed, I can tell them that you are wearing brand new shiny white Cadillac merch. I'm going to ask you this question, and bear in mind you're stood next to a Red Bull driver. Who are the teams you're cheering for this weekend? Well, obviously cheering for Cadillac today.

10:12Also big fans of McLaren and Haas. And? Haas. No, no, sure. And? And Red Bull's pretty good too. And Red Bull as well. There we go, absolutely. Scott, is this your first Grand Prix, your first time in Belgium? What's your F1 experience? It is my first time at Spa, but not my first Grand Prix. I've been to a few before. I've been to Austin, just down the street from us, and a few others. Have you ever stood on the stage and spoken to an F1 driver at those races? I definitely have not. This is an amazing experience. Good. Glad about that. We can make that happen for you. The floor is yours. We've got our driver.

10:44Yuki's ready and waiting for your question. Go for it. All right, Yuki. When I'm at home, I'm talking with friends that are not race fans. I'm often defending drivers as athletes, as real athletes. Sometimes some people think that drivers don't have to be physically fit to drive in a car. Could you describe how being physically fit is essential to being an F1 driver? Yeah. I think I get quite a lot also those questions as well. I mean, it's how physical the driver is. And also, when I was driving Formula 2, I didn't expect to be like this physical in Formula 1. Like, Formula 2 doesn't have power steering, which makes the steering force lighter.

11:31And, you know, Formula 1 has. So, okay, steering weight is at least lighter than Formula 2. Obviously, I knew how the neck is probably the biggest problem. but I didn't expect to be how much it's gonna be problem is like already for me it's quite fast enough to enter to the corner you feel a lot of g4 so I even felt a bit of neck in the beginning of the season so I thought it can't be like that bad and I first time I still remember drive on the Formula One in Imola it was in the was rain condition was not even the best condition and what But as soon as I hit the first braking point into turn one, that was the most, I would say, surprise I ever had in my life.

12:18The amount of g-force and stopping power this Formula 1 provides is like, it's something that I never imagined. And my neck literally went forward. And mostly, a couple of last year's neck will adapt it and you'll be okay. But like all day, I still remember every braking zone, my neck went forward. And next day, I couldn't really turn my neck at all. And that will continue for two hours. And for example, in the car, it can be very hot, like 50 to 60 degrees. Sorry, I don't know in America. How do you say the temperature in the US? Fahrenheit, I believe. Yeah, that one. Yeah, that one. That one, yeah.

13:06Well, we say 60 degrees. And in Singapore, it's already very hot, high humidity, very hot temperature. And in Sadaka, obviously, it even gets warmer, and you drive that in two hours. So, yeah, like, it's hard to say, but it's pretty physical. And, like, you have to be very also, you know, strong also to the temperature as well. And those neck machines, Yuki, that we see you using in the gym look terrifying. It looks like something shouldn't be grabbing your neck. Do you get used to using those eventually? And how important is training your neck to be a Formula One driver? Yeah, well, you get used to it, I think.

13:49I really hate to see those kind of machines still, but I'm still doing even this day as well. but yeah you knowing that neck is probably one of the most important parts to train in the Formula One so but yeah it's just like basically well it's better to have other person next to you and like basically pull your pull your neck with a neck harness things like you get somebody to pull your neck yeah doesn't feel right doesn't it doesn't feel feel good as well no I like I mean Do you ever question your life choices at that moment when a man is pulling your neck? I mean, yeah. I bet driving the car's fun, though.

14:31I mean, normally when you have nice workouts, after that at least feels nice, right? Or maybe in workouts you feel pain and, you know, a lot of sweat. It doesn't feel nice, but at least the rest of the day feels nice. But neck, no. Like, it really feels weird. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you feel the tightness feeling all day, and it will stick, stuck that in, like, maybe two days, so... Do you at least get a nice massage after a bloke's been pulling on your neck for the afternoon? I'll do a massage by myself. Really? Well, I have to because, like, it feels very tight afterwards. Where's Red Bull? Can somebody please massage Yuki?

15:09He shouldn't have to do it himself. He's a Formula One driver. No, actually, drink Red Bull and you'll be OK. Say that again? Drink Red Bull and you'll be OK, actually. No! You don't need to do, yeah, if you don't want to do massage, you drink Red Bull and you'll be okay. That's not the only service they can provide you, Yuki. Yeah, right, they'll give you the drinks. But I'm going to be Yuki's agent, I think, after this. We're going to get Yuki more than just Red Bull. They do pay you as well, don't they, in money? A little bit. Yeah, a little bit, right. But I mean, you know, concept is gives you wings.

15:40You feel light. So whole body feel light, so you'll be okay. Just before we let you go, Scott, Your third question I particularly enjoy, question three. Pop that to Yuki before you go. All right, Yuki. Some people have recurring or often nightmares about their job or about school or something like that. Do you have any recurring nightmares about driving, like your car stalling at the start or crashing on the last lap when you're in the lead or oversleeping your alarm or something like that? Maybe more like in karting. Yes. Yeah, the karting days, okay. At some point, I started to hate karting because, I don't know, at some point, I feel like I wanted to do other sports, like football, like mountain biking, downhill, like skateboards.

16:36At some point, I really got curious with other sports. and like okay I tried to add a sports but my kind of dad not forced but like you know like like he encouraged me to do karting more and I mean it worked yeah it worked in the end but yeah like some point it just feels like some force and like I feel like I didn't enjoy much at some point when I was in karting so as soon as I hear the engine sign of karting even for these days like i don't know i feel like it just flashback me those those days no sure i get that so it's nice and it worked out so you really really you know thanks i really appreciate to my dad um but i had those kind of days i would say so if you could have been a professional athlete in any other sport you got to pick one which one would it have been and why Oh, that's hard.

17:35Well, now World Cup is going on, so maybe football. Football? Yeah. Japan didn't do too bad in the World Cup. Where would you have played? I want to play midfielder. I can see you as an energetic attacking midfielder. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I can see that. Midfielder and our left wing. Oh, and the left wing? Yeah, lovely. Chris DiRonato. Scott, we've covered a varying degree of topics here. Have you enjoyed coming on stage, meeting our crowd, and meeting Yuki? Absolutely. Thank you so much. Thank you. Give him a round of applause. Scott, ladies and gentlemen.

18:31And it's lightweight, portable and packed with enough processing power to make multitasking a breeze. So say goodbye to distractions and hello to more free time because you've finished your work faster. Complete your setup with savings on select monitors and more must-have electronics and accessories. Limited time deals and free shipping on PCs and more await you at dell.com forward slash deals. That's dell.com slash deals.

19:03This episode is sponsored by Honda. Since its first Formula One victory in the 1965 Mexico Grand Prix, Honda has always taken what's learned on the track and used it to build better cars for everyone. From pushing limits in F1 to engineering the next generation of hybrids like the Prelude Hybrid and Civic Sedan Hybrid, Honda proves that racing doesn't just inspire innovation, It drives it. And that idea of taking lessons from the racetrack and applying them to road cars has always been a part of Honda's DNA. Decades of engineering in the demanding world of Formula 1 have helped shape the performance and efficiency you see in Honda's road cars today.

19:48And now that same thinking is shaping the next generation of hybrids as well. Cars like the 2026 Prelude Hybrid and Civic Hybrid show that electrification can be both efficient and genuinely fun to drive. The 2026 Prelude Hybrid and Civic Sedan Hybrid are engineered for fun. From the racetrack to your driveway. Learn more about the Prelude and Civic and the latest innovations at Honda.com. Saving money on your next project, now at Menards. Menards is the leading supplier of quality roof and floor trusses. Choose from our large selection of residential and post-frame trusses or design custom trusses specifically for your project.

20:32Get started on your building project today in-store or on Menards.com. Plus, view our weekly flyer for all the great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards. Save big money when you shop at Menards. Transform your home in one weekend with exterior wood stain and sealer from Dutch Boy. It provides one coat protection on decks, fences, siding, and outdoor furniture. It repels rain after just four hours of application. That means quicker results, saving you both time and money. Our knowledgeable team is ready to help bring your dreams to life one gallon at a time. Stop by your local Menards today.

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21:20Right now on F1 Explains, here's something a bit different. It's competition time. Formula One is heading to Madrid this September and we are giving you a chance to be there. We have a pair of grandstand tickets for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix to give away. The winner will see F1 cars racing on the sport's newest circuit from the Team 55 grandstand, filled with fans cheering for home hero Carlos Sainz. He doesn't have to be your favourite driver to enter this competition, but it does help. Anyway, the competition's free to enter. Here's how you do it. Go to f1.com forward slash podcast dash win dash Madrid.

22:05That's f1.com forward slash podcast dash win dash Madrid. It's catchy, isn't it? Follow the instructions and fill in the form. The competition is open to listeners of all three official F1 podcasts, F1 Beyond the Grid, F1 Nation and your favourite, F1 Explains. The entry deadline is midnight UK time on Friday the 31st of July, 2026. The prize is a pair of grandstand tickets only for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix 2026 in Madrid. and you must be aged 18 or over to enter. I know what you're thinking. Christian, where are the terms and conditions? Well, I can tell you. For those full terms and conditions and your chance to win, just go to f1.com forward slash podcast dash win dash Madrid.

22:55I'm thinking of getting that on a t-shirt. Good luck, everybody.

23:08Let's get another listener out to meet you. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Fiona.

23:15Fiona, welcome. Hi, Fiona. Thank you. Fiona, this is actual Yuki Tsunoda. Hi, so nice to meet you. Fiona, welcome. Where do you come from in the world? I'm originally from Scotland and I live in Dubai. Live in Dubai? Originally from Scotland? Yes. Whereabouts in Scotland? Aberdeen. I know Aberdeen. Yes. Oh, we've got some... There's no party without Scotland. No, the Scots allowed. And first F1 race, have you been here before? tell us. I have first time here at spa and I've been to Abu Dhabi. Amazing. Yuki, have you ever been to Scotland? Never. Oh, you'd love it. But my engineer last year was Scottish.

23:50Really? Yeah. We know you like your food. I had, when I said that you were coming on the podcast, I had approximately 38 million DMs telling me to ask you about food. Oh, yes. I would love to have the questions. You love those type of questions. We'll do a bit on food, but have you ever tried haggis? No. Scottish delicacy. You'd love it. Is it good? Or iron brew. And brew. And some whiskey. Iron brew. Love it. I bet you won't find one of those here. Right, we'll come back to food. I don't think you have that strong Scottish accent. I don't know, like, because last year my engineer had very strong Scottish accents.

24:23Like, beginning of the season, really hard to hear what he's saying. Like, sometimes, like... You didn't have a clue what he was saying. Like, really, sometimes. Yeah. But, yeah, once we get to know each other, like, okay, I know what he's saying. But, like, even myself, sometimes my English is not perfect. so we have an interesting conversation sometimes. Anyway, sorry. My fiancé is Scottish, and even I sometimes struggle to understand what he's saying, so you don't get used to it. Anyway, we've got sidetracked by Scotland. What a great place to be in. Fiona, ask a question. Fire away. Okay. If you could go back and give your rookie self one piece of advice about being a Formula 1 driver, what would it be?

25:01Well, not like I'm just hating UK, but maybe move out from UK. Brilliant. Cheers, UK. Thank you. No, no, no. I really love UK, by the way. But it's nice. The place I was, Milton Keynes. Okay, well, Milton Keynes is where I lived. But I was only having Uber Eats every day. So, yeah, maybe just as a nutritionist. At least there are lots of roundabouts. So I'm able to increase or improve my skills there quite a lot. but in terms of food with my kind of life, I mean, moving to Italy, which I did, was probably my best decision I did. So, yeah, I moved out from, well, at least Milton Keynes to somewhere.