AlphaTauri did play merry-go-round with its second seat, didn’t it? It started the season with the promising rookie Nyck De Vries and a reasonably experienced Yuki Tsunoda, who had two years of F1 under his belt. However, by the end of the season, AlphaTauri fielded 4 different drivers in total, with De Vries being shown the door after only 10 races. At the start of the year, the Faenza-based team struggled at the bottom of the championship. However, thanks to some significant upgrades and incredible performances from Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo, and Liam Lawson, AlphaTauri was able to finish seventh in the championship.

However, it was definitely not all roses for the Red Bull sister team. At least it wasn’t, according to former Red Bull racer Christian Klien. While he heaped praises on the young Japanese driver, he wasn’t too fond of the departed Dutchman. His verdict: Tsunoda has improved a lot, while AlphaTauri was right to show De Vries the door.

Yuki Tsunoda’s improvement over the season

In a recent episode of the ServusTV program Sport & Talk from Hangar-7, Christian Klien – currently competing in the GT World Challenge Europe – shared his insights into the season’s pivotal moments. He particularly focused on the performance of the initially chosen AlphaTauri drivers for the 2023 season, Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck De Vries.

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Klien reserved his praise solely for Yuki Tsunoda. He emphasized that the Japanese driver has grown remarkably since his F1 debut in 2021. Reflecting on Tsunoda’s early years, which were filled with impulsiveness and mistakes, Klien acknowledged the significant progress made by the young talent. “He made many mistakes in the first two years, mainly because he was very impulsive,” Klien commented, noting Tsunoda’s transformative journey, as quoted by Formula Passion.

He added, “Yuki had a fantastic [2023] season. You can now hear on the radio that he has become calmer.” [Trnaslated by Google] Klien’s assessment painted a picture of a mature driver capable of achieving positive results. In contrast, Klien offered a blunt verdict on Nyck De Vries despite the Dutchman’s promising debut at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, where he secured points for Williams. Describing De Vries as an experienced driver and Formula E World Champion, Klien highlighted the “frenetic pace of Formula 1” as a significant challenge for the 27-year-old.

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However, his exit proved fruitful for AlphaTauri, thanks to a highly-anticipated comeback from Daniel Ricciardo and a remarkable discovery in the form of Liam Lawson.

The return of Daniel Ricciardo and the discovery of Liam Lawson

The decision to part ways with De Vries paved the way for Daniel Ricciardo‘s return to the team. However, this was only temporary. The Australian faced an enforced hiatus following an injury he sustained during Free Practice 1 at the Dutch GP. Liam Lawson, the rookie sensation, stepped in for Ricciardo and impressed with strong performances, securing a notable P9 finish in Singapore.

After AlphaTauri brought in upgrades, especially the ones before the Mexican GP, it helped the Italian side a lot. Daniel Ricciardo put on a qualifying performance to remember, securing a P4 ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. During the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, he managed to bag crucial points for AlphaTauri, getting it out from P10 to P7 in the championship. This was also followed by Tsunoda’s brilliance in Abu Dhabi, resulting in a wonderful comeback for the Italian outfit.

What’s your take on the ever-improving Yuki Tsunoda? Share your thoughts with us.

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