Auto Racing
Yuki Tsunoda Drives F1 Car on Tokyo Streets Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix
Tsunoda fulfills his childhood dream of driving an F1 car on Tokyo streets ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, marking his first public appearance with Red Bull.
The Japanese Grand Prix, which will be the third round of the 2025 Formula One World Championship, will take place at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture on April 6. Ahead of this, the "Red Bull Showrun x Powered by Honda" event was held on April 2 in Odaiba, Tokyo, where F1 cars raced through the streets of the city.
Yuki Tsunoda, 24, who was recently promoted from Racing Bulls to the prestigious Red Bull team, also got behind the wheel. He showcased his impressive driving skills in front of a crowd of enthusiastic fans.
At the press conference following the event, Tsunoda shared his excitement: "The dream I had as a child of driving an F1 car in Tokyo has come true," he said. "As a Japanese, I'm truly honored to participate in such an event."
A Dream Come True
Tsunoda's move from Racing Bulls to Red Bull was announced on March 27. The showrun marked his first public appearance since the promotion.
"It was forecasted to rain, but I'm glad the weather cleared up," Tsunoda remarked.
Reflecting on his experience driving an F1 car in Tokyo, he added, "It was a dream — a fantasy I had as a child. To make that dream a reality feels surreal."
He also addressed the significance of 2025 being the final year of the contract between Red Bull Racing and Honda, which supplies F1 engines. "It makes me really happy to be part of such an event in Honda's final year," Tsunoda said. "I believe this marks a great start for the future of motorsport."
When asked how he felt upon receiving an offer from Red Bull, Tsunoda recalled, "Opportunities like this don't come around often, so I responded immediately."
Big Fan Support for F1 in Japan
The Japanese Grand Prix will see 10 teams competing, including Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Mercedes and Ferrari. The event, which used to take place in the fall until 2023, was moved to spring starting in 2024. That racing weekend attracted 229,000 spectators, surpassing the attendance of the 2023 fall event.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Yuki Matsuo, The Sankei Shimbun