Yuki Tsunoda Opens Up on Films, Music, and His Bond With Pierre Gasly

Away from the timing screens and the usual round of setup discussions, Yuki Tsunoda has sat down for a rare and personal interview, offering fans a glimpse of the man behind the helmet. The conversation was granted exclusively during a packed Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with Red Bull opening the door for a wide-ranging chat that touched on cinema, music, training and friendship, rather than lap times and strategy.

Conducted largely in Japanese, with one question posed in English, Tsunoda handled the switch with ease, a reminder of the natural gift for languages he is well known for at home. What followed was a warm, unguarded conversation, one that revealed a side of the driver rarely seen in the paddock, far removed from the usual round of press conference questions about car balance or tyre strategy.

It is precisely this kind of access that fans have been asking for. Formula 1’s popularity has grown well beyond the traditional racing audience in recent years, and with that growth has come a genuine appetite to know the personalities behind the visors, not just their results on a Sunday afternoon. Tsunoda, one of the most recognisable Japanese drivers on the modern grid, proved a willing and engaging subject for exactly that kind of conversation.

A Film That Left a Mark

Asked about the films that have stayed with him, Tsunoda pointed to American Sniper as the one that left the deepest impression, even though it was released some years ago. It was not simply the war setting that struck him, he explained, but the way the film places the viewer inside the mind of its central character in the moment of taking aim at another person. Knowing the story was based on real events only deepened the effect, and Tsunoda admitted it genuinely shifted something in how he now thinks about conflict, without claiming his entire worldview had changed.

He was equally candid about his love of action cinema more broadly, crediting Jason Statham as a key reason he became drawn to film in the first place. It is not the gunplay that appeals to him most, he said, but the hand-to-hand combat, the discipline of fighting without a weapon. The pair have crossed paths several times away from the cameras, and Tsunoda described Statham as frank, energetic and thoroughly down to earth, a contrast to the hardened, solitary characters he plays on screen.

Turning to Formula 1’s own growing presence in cinema, Tsunoda praised the sport’s recent Hollywood outing for its ability to draw new fans to the grid, even if some sequences lean more towards spectacle than realism when viewed through the eyes of an actual driver. Watching it from that perspective, he said certain moments clearly prioritise dramatic effect over accuracy, yet the story itself remains genuinely enjoyable, and he was quick to credit its leading man for leaving audiences with the sense that Brad Pitt is simply cool on screen.

Asked about a possible sequel, he did not hold back: he would want both Brad Pitt and Jason Statham involved, and would happily see a touch more action worked in, while acknowledging that hand-to-hand combat has little natural place in a paddock. What he would like explored further, he suggested, is the world of contracts and politics that sits behind the sport, a layer of Formula 1 that rarely reaches the screen but one he feels is rich with story potential, given how unique and complex that side of the business can be compared with other sports.

Music, Recovery and Racing Ambitions

Music, Tsunoda explained, plays a different role in his life to film. It is not something he turns to before a race or while working, but a way to relax and enjoy himself once the racing is done. Among international artists he named Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and Australian country singer Keith Urban as regular listening, while on the Japanese side, it is Vondi he currently returns to most.

With his future on the grid still undecided, Tsunoda was clear that his preparation has not slowed. Speaking about that very morning’s neck training, he described a routine built to ensure he can step straight into a car and perform the moment an opportunity arises, whichever team or category that may be with. Five years of physical conditioning, he said, cannot be rebuilt overnight, so the focus now is on maintaining that level and pushing it higher where possible, using the time away from racing productively.

Life Off Track With Pierre Gasly

No conversation about Tsunoda’s private life would be complete without a question about his friendship with Pierre Gasly, given how many fans are aware the pair live close to one another. He was honest that hectic travel schedules mean the two do not catch up in Milan as often as people might imagine, with both drivers frequently pulled in different directions by their teams. When their paths do align, padel is the activity of choice, though karaoke has not been entirely retired, even if their last session together was over a year ago.

Beyond time with Gasly, Tsunoda spoke fondly of his own life in Milan, from exploring the city’s restaurants to getting out into nature whenever the schedule allows. Living out of a suitcase for much of the year, he explained, makes the moments he does get to spend simply being himself in the city all the more valuable, whether that means trying somewhere new to eat or just stepping away from the demands of the paddock for a while.

There was even a light-hearted moment towards the end of the exchange, when Tsunoda was asked, only half-seriously, about his cooking skills, and specifically the cookware he uses at home, a nod to the kind of everyday, relatable detail that rarely makes it into a standard driver profile.

A Message to the Fans

Closing the interview, Tsunoda addressed the Japanese fans directly, acknowledging that while he is currently without a race seat, he remains fully committed to returning to Formula 1 next year, though nothing is yet confirmed. The support from home, he said, means a great deal despite the distance, and continues to fuel his motivation during this period away from competition.

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Yuki Tsunoda, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Pierre Gasly, F1 Drivers, Belgian Grand Prix, F1 News, Motorsport Interviews

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