Marko convinced a podium awaits all-out racer Tsunoda

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Helmut Marko lavished praise on Yuki Tsunoda after the AlphaTauri rookie's points-scoring debut in Bahrain, but the Red Bull motorsport boss just cannot stop gushing over his protégé.

After last month's opening round at Sakhir, Marko hailed Tsunoda's "unbelievable" level of self-confidence which the 20-year-old put to good use when he put one over on Aston Martin's Lance Stroll in spectacular fashion on the final lap of the Bahrain GP to seal P9.

According to Marko, the AlphaTauri charger has already justified his place among motorsport's elite and has set himself on a path towards stardom in F1.

"We are convinced that Tsunoda will be the first Japanese to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix", Marko told German broadcaster RTL.

"He is only 20 years old and has done nothing wrong in his first race.

"He has an incredibly good basic speed. And the way he overtook Stroll on the last lap in Bahrain ... he was 150 yards behind him! He's a racer through and through.

"His mentality is also great; he has incredible confidence. I am convinced that we will see him on the podium soon."

Read also - Brawn: 'Stunning' Tsunoda best F1 rookie in years

Marko also reckons that Tsunoda's diminutive physical stature at just 1.59m (5ft 2) for 61 kilos is an advantage, although the Japanese driver's short height forced AlphaTauri to undertake a few challenging adjustments to its 2021 car.

"If you can adapt the car to it, it is certainly an advantage," said Marko. "He is 1.59m long and weighs only 61 kilos. Adjusting a normal car was quite difficult for AlphaTauri.

"It also caused problems in the simulator, where Tsunoda a needed a special seat because otherwise it would not fit. At first that was not ideal, because it quickly caused him aches and pains."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.