With the Singapore GP one of the most mentally and physically taxing races of the season, the drivers make sure to keep things light when outside the cars. On Friday, Alex Albon tried doing the same by making fun of Yuki Tsunoda’s height as the Japanese driver tried operating a camera. However, the Williams driver was quickly told to “shut up”.
Standing backstage for the media day duties, Albon, Franco Colapinto, Daniel Ricciardo, and Tsunoda awaited their call. As Ricciardo and Colapinto talked amongst themselves, Tsunoda decided to extend a 360° camera and record what was happening around him.
As the camera went up, Albon was quick to think on his feet and came up with the perfect retort. Making fun of the height difference between them, Albon remarked, “This is how I see you“. The Japanese driver’s response was even more prompt as he asked Albon to:
“Shut up!”
Add this to the Alex teasing Yuki about his height pile pic.twitter.com/vCEgJVlZAF
— Sky⁸¹ (@SkysF1year) September 20, 2024
Standing 5′ 3″ tall, the #22 driver has always been a subject of jokes within the F1 paddock. Albon has often been the one to start these jokes, rarely hesitating while making fun of Tsunoda. In fact, the Thai-British driver once even declared Tsunoda a probable five-time world champion, owing to his height.
Tsunoda could have been a world champion in the F1 era gone by
With the modern-day rules and regulations leveling the playing field, Tsunoda’s height does not bring him any distinct advantage. However, Albon believes that if the 24-year-old had been racing in the Alain Prost era, he might have become a five-time world champion.
Back in the ’70s and ’80s, the minimum weight limit of the car in F1 did not include the driver’s weight. The sport featured smaller cars that weighed less. Putting a lighter driver in it would inevitably make the car go faster, giving it a decent advantage over the rest of the field.
Even the legendary Prost was two inches taller than Tsunoda, meaning the VCARB driver could’ve held an advantage over all drivers. While the 24-year-old hasn’t been able to secure a podium in F1 so far [albeit due to not getting a fast enough car], Albon remains confident he could’ve been a world champion nearly 40 years ago.
