Plenty of Formula 1 drivers have developed a reputation among fans without ever being at the very top of the sport.
Trends begin to emerge and before long you can start to see similarities between drivers currently on the grid and those who have since retired or moved onto other series.
Speaking on The Race Podcast, journalist Edd Straw has admitted that one of the younger drivers on the grid currently reminds him of Romain Grosjean.
Comparisons between past and present drivers have always existed.
It was just this week that one racer currently driving for a top-five team was told they were the complete opposite of one-time race winner Pastor Maldonado.
Straw has now suggested that there’s a similarity between Romain Grosjean and Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda.
The 23-year-old is having a brilliant season but it’s too early to say that he’s got rid of the erratic side of his driving profile.
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RB driver Yuki Tsunoda compared to Romain Grosjean
It’s been over three years since Romain Grosjean last raced in Formula 1.
He wouldn’t have wanted his career at Haas to end as spectacularly as it did, but thankfully he escaped from one of the most terrifying crashes in recent F1 history.
Grosjean was always considered to be a quick driver but he did have a mistake in him and during the early stages of his career his rashness was criticised.
He picked up a ban for a crash in Spa where he narrowly avoided Fernando Alonso after driving over his Ferrari.
Grosjean’s aggression on the track in those days is reminiscent of Yuki Tsunoda in his RB car.
He was particularly angry with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo in Bahrain and nearly drove into him after the chequered flag.
It’s that side of his personality that’s currently ruling him out of being in contention to drive for Red Bull in the near future.
Yuki Tsunoda’s temperament currently affecting his F1 future
Speaking about the Japanese driver, Straw said: “These little mistakes when things get a bit stressed and complicated are what worry me.
“And obviously that thing in Bahrain at the end of the race when he was annoyed about the team orders.
“I don’t care what communication problems there have been with the team etc, and what had been talked about behind closed doors, what he was doing on the slowdown lap, it shows a lack of control and it really is a shame because there is a driver with real pace in there.
“I must admit, to come back to that point to where he ends up in the driver market, he’s in an interesting little position.
“If you find yourself let’s say down the queue for picking your drivers, you would often end up in a situation where you have a choice between what I’d call a solid pair of hands and someone like [Yuki] Tsunoda who has a high upside, maybe could be a bit erratic.
“But if you can really help him with that mental side and get him in the zone, you can actually get some really good performances out of him.
“There’s a hint of a [Romain] Grosjean about him, manifests itself slightly differently but it’s that kind of realm.
“He becomes an interesting wildcard in the driver market.”
Where could Yuki Tsunoda end up driving in 2025?
Grosjean earned several moves around the F1 grid during his time in the sport, but staying at RB for another year seems like Tsunoda’s most likely next step in 2025.
He’s only ever been signed onto rolling one-year deals but is currently delivering exactly what the team are asking of him.
There are more concerns about Ricciardo’s future right now although it’s too early to draw any real conclusions from his performances.
Tsunoda has connections to Japanese power unit developers Honda and they become Aston Martin’s providers in 2026.
He’s not been directly linked with a move to Lawrence Stroll’s team who has his eye on another driver within the Red Bull group.
The post ‘Interesting wildcard’: Journalist believes 23-year-old driver has a ‘hint of a Grosjean’ about him now appeared first on F1 Oversteer.