Besides being a huge foodie, Yuki Tsunoda has a particular fondness for cocktails—especially Negronis. However, during race weekends, he rarely has the time to enjoy alcoholic beverages, making him eager to indulge during the summer break. Unfortunately, due to his race result in Belgium, he wasn’t able to do so.
Tsunoda recently appeared on the F1: Beyond the Grid podcast, where host Tom Clarkson revealed that he had a Negroni last year after finishing P10 at Spa-Francorchamps. When asked if Tsunoda enjoyed one again this season, the Japanese driver responded with a no.
Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda managed to score a point in the Belgian Grand Prix which means it’s time to enjoy. a cocktail. https://t.co/nj92Q8zjgj
— OutKick (@Outkick) August 2, 2023
“To do that [have a Negroni], I need to score points,” the RB driver said, “And unfortunately this year, I wasn’t able to score any points in the last race before summer break which was in Spa. So yeah, I had to suffer the whole summer break without Negroni.”
The Japanese driver explained how having Negroni is his way of celebrating after scoring points. Not having one during the entirety of the three-week summer break was a huge motivation for him to come back stronger in the second half of the season.
Rather than celebrating his seven points finishes so far this season—his highest ever—he chose to punish himself for not scoring in the final race before the summer break.
Tsunoda went on to explain that a Negroni is best enjoyed before eating, showcasing his deep knowledge and passion for food and drink, just as the paddock rumors suggest. As a result, he’s a popular choice among other F1 drivers when it comes to hanging out.
Hamilton, Alonso, and Ricciardo pick Tsunoda as party companion
During a PR event earlier this year, F1 drivers were asked to pick two stars from the current grid for a night out. Daniel Ricciardo jokingly asked his teammate Tsunoda if he was old enough to drink. The 24-year-old was, and he became Ricciardo’s first choice.
Lewis Hamilton admitted that he had heard some fun stories about Tsunoda and would take him out. Two-time World champion Fernando Alonso followed suit.
Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and Carlos Sainz were also popular choices in the F1 paddock, but Tsunoda remained the top pick by far. Known for his expertise in food and drink, he is also considered a genuinely fun person to hang out with.
