FORMULA 1/ Japanese drivers try to break through but face linguistic and geographical barriers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

April 5,おはよう です 2024 at 15:45 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Yuki Tsunoda of Japan, driver of RB, the team previously known as AlphaTauri takes part in the first free practice session at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, central Japan, April 5, 2024, ahead of Sunday's Japanese Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo)

SUZUKA--About two dozen Japanese drivers have raced in Formula 1 over almost 50 years, and success has been limited. A Japanese driver has never won an F1 race, which means Ayumu Iwasa’s goals are unbelievably high.

“I want to be in an F1 seat as a regular driver, and also be world champion,” the 22-year-old Iwasa said Friday after driving a single practice session for the RB team. “For sure it’s not easy.”

Iwasa was given the chance to perform before the home crowd in Japan, partly because of his nationality, his talent, and because Honda — which powers the RB team, formerly known as AlphaTauri, and its parent team Red Bull — also runs the Suzuka circuit.

He was filling in for Daniel Ricciardo, who is off to a slow start this season but will drive in Saturday qualifying and the race on Sunday when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will be the favorite after going out on the fourth lap in Australia two weeks ago.

Iwasa did all right, though even with his talent there are only 20 seats available in F!.

His practice times were not far off RB’s regular driver, Japanese Yuki Tsunoda. He said he held back at bit and said his target was simply to help the team get data on the car.

“It is a quite different feeling with an F1 car,” said Iwasa, who has driven the lower formulas of car racing. “It’s just amazing. The car has much more capacity to push and also the limit is much higher.”

Nerves? Not much he said before local fans at the circuit in central Japan.

“I didn’t feel so much pressure because I knew what to do in the car, and also we had a plan for the session,” Iwasa said. “So I was just focusing on my job. I was able to pick up the pace a bit quicker than expected.”

Tsunoda, who has driven almost 70 races in F1, was asked why Japanese drivers have struggled.

“First of all, (we are) very far away from Europe,” Tsunoda said. “And I think mainly you want to race in Europe in junior categories to get a Super Licence. And to be close as much as possible to the Formula 1 teams, to get attention.”

He also said European drivers typically start racing at a younger age than drivers in Japan. He also added in cultural and linguistic barriers. Both Iwasa and Tsunoda speak English well and do interviews in English.

“You have to go to Europe to race and to compete against the European drivers, so that probably makes it a little bit difficult,” he said. “And obviously, the language as well. Japanese don’t speak as much good English.”

“So it’s hard to communicate well, and tell what you want specifically from the car — setup, for example. These things will take a little bit of time.”

• ·「ゴゴスマ」出演の金子恵美氏、不倫発覚の玉木氏の出処進退に私見「政治家の覚悟、生き様が表れる」
• ·【西武】金子侑司が引退会見「ちょっと惜しんでもらってやめるのが自分らしい」
• ·９月１４日に落馬負傷した菱田裕二騎手は左上腕部の骨折と肺挫傷の診断　師匠の岡田調教師が明かす
• ·岩堀せり＆ＴＡＫＵＲＯ、ハグショットが話題！ラブラブ姿に「こっちまで幸せ」「憧れます！」とファン
• ·「コジコジ」展示イベントのグッズは約50種類、王様風衣装のコジコジがぬいぐるみに（写真45枚）
• ·「サンモニ」膳場貴子アナ、大混戦の「セ・リーグ」に見解…「予測不能な展開」
• ·【高校野球】夏甲子園１６強の石川・小松大谷が初戦突破…初登板の左腕・灰田彪又が投打で活躍
• ·【ローズＳ】クイーンズウォークが差し切って始動戦Ｖ　川田将雅騎手＆中内田調教師タッグで当レース４勝目
• ·映画「モルカー」入場特典はソフビマスコット　ポテトなど全8種、シークレットも
• ·十両・尊富士がストレート給金「中日で勝ち越せるようにと思っていた」　優勝争いでも単独トップに
• ·武田真治の妻・静まなみ、母娘ショットで３０歳誕生日を報告！「美しい」「表情がとっても幸せそう」
• ·【セパ公示】（１５日）西武、引退表明の金子侑司を登録　ＤｅＮＡが石田裕太郎、大和を抹消
• ·獣人が腹ペコ少女のため人間用の料理に挑戦「ケモ耳少女の幸せごはん」1巻（試し読みあり）
• ·友風が前半を５勝３敗で折り返す　「師匠の教えだと思います。それが結果に出ています」
• ·アニメ「まほなれ」×サン宝石の文具セット、応募者全員サービス形式でプレゼント
• ·渡辺雄太、千葉Ｊで“Ｂリーグデビュー”前半のみ出場　約１６分プレーで７得点　チームは逆転負け