Japanese F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda made headlines this week, though unfortunately not for his performance at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. Tsunoda, who drives for the RB Formula One team, was slapped with a €40,000 (US$43,190) fine for using an ableist slur over his team radio during a qualifying segment. Though he quickly apologised for his actions, noting on social media that English isn’t his first language and he didn’t realise the full extent of the word’s meaning – fans and the media pointed out that this wasn’t the first time the driver has been in hot water for his fiery temper.
Tsunoda is notorious for his aggressive radio messages, which often come in fraught moments on the track. He was also captured spewing profanity during a qualifying session at the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix. Still, Tsunoda continues to be popular at home, as he’s the only Japanese driver on the current grid.
His off-track antics also endear him to audiences around the world, whether it’s fan-girling over actor Jason Statham at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, rocking fashion-forward outfits , complaining about training, or dreaming about opening his own restaurant. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Yuki Tsunoda captured in the AlphaTauri garage in a post reflecting on his performance at the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023.
Photo: @yukitsunoda0511/Instagram","url":"https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/07/05/af1287.
