Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda will be a special guest for Mie Honda Heat’s home clash against Shizuoka Blue Revs on Sunday 7 January in Suzuka.
Tsunoda, 23, who hails from Sagamihara, Kanagawa, made his F1 debut in 2021 with the AlphaTauri team.
The tie-up comes as the 2018 F4 Japanese Championship winner has been supported by Honda since 2016 through the company’s Honda Formula Dream Project.
League One Division newcomers Mie Honda Heat linked up with Honda’s motorsports connections earlier this year when an AlphaTauri car – which used Red Bull-branded Honda engines – was brought to the club’s training ground.
Honda fans will welcome the news and a distraction from on-field results after the club has endured a torrid start to life in Japanese club’s rugby’s top-flight.
Kobe Steelers routed Honda 80-15 in round one, before Kubota thumped them 75-0. Round three saw a much-improved display as highly-touted Suntory had to grind out a 34-16 scoreline.
Honda’s ranks includes speedster Tevita Li, double World Cup-winning Springbok Franco Mostert (above - centre) and Argentine star Pablo Matera (above - right) and all three will be crucial when they look to record their first win of the campaign.
Kwagga Smith will lead Shizuoka who have already performed beyond expectations this season with a win over defending champions Kubota Spears last time out as they built on narrow defeats to heavy hitters Kobe Steelers and Toshiba Brave Lupus.
Hosts Honda will aim to put on a show in front of their F1 star and a potential bumper crowd but will need to outmanoeuvre and outpace an ever-improving Shizuoka side who boast an infinite rugby engine in colossal captain Kwagga Smith.
In addition to Tsunoda being in attendance, his Scuderia AlphaTauri F1 ™ ︎AT02 car (below) will be on display at Mie Kotsu G Sports Mori Suzuka which is just five kilometres from the Suzuka Circuit which hosts Japan’s F1 Grand Prix.
Pictures courtesy of Mie Honda Heat
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