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Formula 1: Yuki Tsunoda joins AlphaTauri to replace Daniil Kvyat

Formula 1: Yuki Tsunoda joins AlphaTauri to replace Daniil Kvyat

Yuki Tsunoda arrives at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on Dec 11, 2020. (File photo: Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed, Pool)

FAENZA, Italy: Japan will have a driver in Formula One for the first time in seven years after AlphaTauri confirmed on Wednesday (Dec 16) that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Daniil Kvyat at the team in 2021.

Tsunoda will step up to F1 after placing third in Formula Two last season with three race wins. He won the F2 rookie of the year award as the highest-scoring driver in his first season. The 20-year-old Tsunoda will be the first F1 driver to be born in the 21st century.

He will partner Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri, Red Bull's second team, which has a focus on developing talented drivers who can represent the main team.

“Red Bull has been following Yuki’s career for a while now, and I am sure he will be a great asset to our team," AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said. “Watching him in Formula Two this year, he has demonstrated the right mix of racing aggression and good technical understanding.”

READ: Alonso, 39, fastest in Formula One's 'young driver' test

READ: Mick Schumacher wins F2 title ahead of F1 debut next season

Tsunoda drove this year's AlphaTauri car during testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, placing fifth-fastest of 15 runners.

The last Japanese driver in F1 was Kamui Kobayashi, who raced for Toyota, Sauber and Caterham before leaving at the end of the 2014 season.

Kvyat is without an F1 drive for 2021. The Russian has spent six seasons in F1 with AlphaTauri and Red Bull.

Source: AP/kg

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