Former F1 driver David Coulthard is unimpressed with AlphaTauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda and believes the Japanese driver won't survive in F1 beyond next season.
The Channel 4 commentator was astounded by Tsunoda's comments that followed the confirmation by AlphaTauri of the 21-year-old's presence on the grid with the Italian outfit in 2022.
At Monza, Tsunoda told the media that being handed a second season came as a surprise given his inconsistent results and multiple crashes during the first half of the 2021 campaign.
"From my side I was a bit surprised I'll be staying next year," he said. "I kept crashing and spend [cost] a lot of money for the team. It was not on a good way to end the first half of the season."
While some would perhaps consider Tsunoda's bold honesty as refreshing, an unsympathetic Coulthard offered a scathing view on the young driver's attitude.
"What planet is he from? I think he should pack his little bag and go home now, because that is not the voice of a racing driver," said Coulthard on Channel 4.
"‘I’m shocked they could retain me because I keep crashing’. I’d book a plane ticket now and get it nice and cheap, because he won’t be in Formula 1 beyond the end of next year."
Like AlphaTauri teammate Pierre Gasly, Tsunoda was denied at the outset an opportunity to improve his track record at Monza after last-minute technical issues incredibly sidelined both drivers on the grid in Italy.
Team boss Franz Tost undeniably remain a believer in Tsunoda, arguing that the rookie is still a work in progress in terms of refining his skills and building his experience.
"Yuki continues to learn every day," said the Austrian. "The feedback from the engineers shows he is absorbing all the information given to him and improving.
"As a rookie, Yuki is only at the beginning of this journey, so it’s good that he can continue what we’ve started together."
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