Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has moved Yuki Tsunoda to Italy amid rising concerns that his development has not been positive.
Tsunoda had a fantastic debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix, driving really well and exceeding all expectations. He even managed to secure some points, completing a rousing success of a debut.
However, in the five races that have followed, he has been a shadow of his former (debut) self. The performances he put in after Bahrain left a lot to be desired. The reason for the regression is unknown, but it has prompted Marko to take action.
His concern for the Japanese rookie is palpable now, and he has already taken the necessary steps to help him. In an interview with Formel1.de, the team boss revealed the strategy to help Tsunoda.
“We have decided to move Yuki to Italy, where he will be under the personal supervision of Franz Tost,” he said.
“Here he will learn to find concentration and get used to the living and working schedule of a professional athlete. So, lots of training, karting, and technical work in the factory to learn to read the data.”
Building Tsunoda’s confidence
The Austrian reckons Tsunoda’s drop in form is due to a loss of self-confidence. He had a debut to remember, but subsequent races and incidents during them have dealt a blow to his belief. Marko believes that this move will help him get back to his best version, and show everyone his true potential.
“The development has certainly not been positive. His self-confidence took a hit after the multiple incidents, and that’s why we decided to bring him to Italy from England,” Marko said.
“(The move) is not only so we can control him better, but also to instil in him a stronger sense of security. His potential is still there,” he concluded.
Read more: Yuki Tsunoda: What’s his racing history and why did he get catapulted into Formula 1 so early?