Tsunoda gets more mileage at Imola ahead of F1 debut

Yuki Tsunoda is ramping up preparations for his Formula 1 debut this season by testing the 2019 STR14 Toro Rosso, in the 2020 AlphaTauri livery, at Imola on Wednesday.

The Japanese Honda-backed racer got the green light to make the step up from F2 to F1 last month and will partner one-time race winner Pierre Gasly.

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While the regulations limit running of current cars outside of pre- and post-season testing and race weekends to just two filming days, teams are permitted to run cars that are at least two years old for unlimited mileage.

With pre-season testing limited to just three days this year – meaning each driver only gets 1.5 days in the car – AlphaTauri want to help Tsunoda prepare by giving him a run in older machinery.

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He completed his first F1 test at Imola last November, and followed that up with a run in current machinery at the end-of-season Abu Dhabi test. Wednesday marks his third experience, with a third different car.

It is understood he will also get a further test at Misano next month, though the difficult global situation means that run is subject to confirmation.