'I had to change my approach' - Yuki Tsunoda recalls key moment in effort to save F1 career

Yuki Tsunda has recalled an on-track incident that triggered the understanding he needed to change his attitude behind the wheel.

Tsunoda has long been known to be emotional behind the wheel, with some broadcasted radio conversations throughout his career involving swear words and shouting.

The Japanese driver has outlined in the past it was an area he needed to work on, but an outburst at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix last year turned heads.

RB opted to carry out an on-track swap between Tsunoda and team-mate Daniel Ricciardo with the former expressing his frustration at the call.

After the chequered flag, Tsunoda divebombed Ricciardo into Turn 8 to show his annoyance, leaving Ricciardo to label his team-mate a “fucking helmet”.

Tsunoda asserted he needed to alter his approach quickly or risk being dropped from the grid.

“I had to change my approach for the future, after what happened with Daniel in Bahrain last year,” he told The Independent.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sticking around in F1. It’s the one area I’ve worked really hard at – and it’s helped change my mindset and be more serious.”

Tsunoda will make his debut for Red Bull this weekend in Japan as he receives a promotion in place of the struggling Liam Lawson.

As he prepares to make the next step of his career, Tsunoda stated he understands the need to strike a balance when it comes to expressing emotion.

“I never felt controlling my emotions was the key to my success, it was just my natural character,” he said.

“My mindset would be to take my stress out on the track and then focus afterwards. These days, F1 is more political and has more sponsors. 

“You need to find a balance. You don’t want a driver shouting emotions… the team wants to hear specific feedback.”