Daniel Ricciardo disclosed a number of behind-the-scenes secrets in a recent episode of The Red Flags podcast. Among those was a segment where he talked about his relationship with his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. To the surprise of the co-hosts Matt Elisofon and Brian Muller, Ricciardo disclosed that Tsunoda is big on ping pong.
So much so that the Japanese driver likes to warm up for a race with a game of table tennis. One would believe such obsession with the game would have made the 24-year-old an ace in the game.
To their disappointment, and of Tsunoda himself, he is not. Even Ricciardo, who admitted to just getting off the couch, has beaten him several times.
Those times included the Japanese GP where the Honey Badger was on a roll. He delivered Tsunoda such a heavy defeat that Tsunoda told him to get out of his room and never come back.
While the co-hosts wondered if this ruined Tsunoda’s race, Ricciardo clarified it did not. That was because the Japanese driver beat him on the track that weekend.
Ricciardo revealed, “So Japan, actually, he won on the track. But we played so much that week. And I, sorry Yuki, but I beat you so many times on ping pong that he never invited me back in his room until today, which is how many months later. So, there was some scarring he had to deal with.”
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda ping pong challenge. pic.twitter.com/pKdBGOedkb
— Ricciardo Photos | Fansite (@ricciardophotos) April 25, 2024
As the Aussie revealed, he is allowed back into Tsunoda’s den for a game of ping pong now. This generosity may not have helped Tsunoda, though. That is because the latest slugfest once again left Tsunoda devastated, ending in him throwing swear words left, right, and center.
Ricciardo and Tsunoda reuited for a game of ping pong
The V-CARB duo returned for a game of ping-pong before the Austrian GP. Tsunoda failed to redeem himself after the long break, and unlike the Japanese GP, failed to beat Ricciardo on the track as well.
While the Aussie managed to collect two points with a P9 finish, his teammate only managed a P14. Ricciardo bragged about having not played any game since the Japanese GP and still managing to emerge victorious, while Tsunoda played at every GP weekend and still lost.
However, since Tsunoda lost his temper after his loss, Ricciardo is afraid that this could be ‘detrimental’ to the Japanese driver’s mental health if the 24-year-old is not able to keep his emotions in check.
