Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly have a very good relationship and are great friends off the track. Their bromance is something that fans adore and they were upset to see their time as teammates to an end. Gasly will move to Alpine next year, which leaves Tsunoda with a new teammate at AlphaTauri in Nyck de Vries.
After the 2022 season finale in Abu Dhabi, all 20 drivers exchanged gifts with each other as a part of Secret Santa. There were some interesting exchanges within the paddock, but no one was as happy as Tsunoda to receive his present. The Japanese driver unwrapped his gift to find a framed photograph there.
The photograph was of himself and Gasly, his soon-to-be former teammate. It was an emotional gift that Tsunoda absolutely loved. “It is a really nice present,” the AlphaTauri driver said. “It’s the best present I’ve ever got in my life. So it must be a really nice person.”
“Best present I’ve got in my life”
Nicely done @LandoNorris 👏 pic.twitter.com/0pXtKDoG5n
— #L4NDO (@TeamL4NDO) December 19, 2022
It was then that Tsunoda realized it was Norris who sent this gift to him, and he thanked the McLaren star for such a beautiful present. The 22-year-old added that it is a present that he will keep with himself forever.
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Lando Norris linked to Red Bull and Mercedes moves amid McLaren uncertainty
2022 was a very disappointing year for McLaren. They showed signs of major progress in 2021 but it all derailed in 2022 with the team falling short of fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship. Norris was fairly consistent throughout the season but his opportunities were limited because of McLaren’s slow pace.
To add to their misery, Andreas Seidl left the Woking-based squad to join Sauber group as CEO, and his departure may start a domino effect within the camp. Seidl was very reputed for being one of the smartest minds on the paddock.
Norris is contracted to McLaren until 2025, but reports have suggested that other top teams are looking to buy him off. Seidl leaving McLaren may also tempt the young Brit to go to a team that may give him more success because as things stand, McLaren aren’t in the mix for a Championship battle in the near future.
