Formula 1: Top 5 pending free agents heading into 2023
By Asher Fair
Top 5 Formula 1 free agents: No. 4 – Yuki Tsunoda
Many were surprised that Yuki Tsunoda was brought back by AlphaTauri for a third season in 2023 after he scored points in just four races last year, just over half his total from 2021, but some of that came down to the fact that the Faenza-based team took a step back, dropping a whopping three places in the constructor standings.
The pressure will be higher than it has ever been for Tsunoda in 2023, as he is now technically the veteran of the team. Set to replace the Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly, who handily beat the 22-year-old Japanese driver in the standings in both of their seasons together, is rookie Nyck de Vries.
Despite the fact that you don’t generally see 28-year-old rookies in Formula 1, the Dutchman is about as highly touted as rookies come. The former Formula 2 and Formula E world champion made his Formula 1 debut last season with a Williams team that struggled to score points, and he tied the team’s best finish of the season with a ninth place effort at Monza.
It’s not a question that we often ask when a new driver joins the sport, but it’s one that can’t be ignored: can Tsunoda keep up with his rookie teammate, and if not, what’s next?