Franz Tost, the team boss of AlphaTauri, has expressed his renewed trust in his team’s engineers following the departure of a problematic figure. Tost openly criticized the engineers before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, stating that he no longer trusted them due to unfulfilled promises made during the winter break.
During his remarks in Jeddah, Tost voiced his skepticism, saying, “The engineers tell me we make some good progress, but I don’t trust them anymore. I just want to see the lap time because this is the only thing that counts. Because during the winter months they [the engineers] told me, ‘the car is fantastic, [we] made big progress,’ then we came to Bahrain, and we are nowhere.”
At the start of the 2023 season, AlphaTauri struggled to secure any points in the opening two races. However, their fortunes improved as Yuki Tsunoda earned the team’s first point at the Australian Grand Prix. Since then, the team has shown signs of progress, with Tsunoda finishing within the top 10 in Baku.
Despite the recent improvement, AlphaTauri currently sits in ninth place in the Constructors’ Standings, just one point ahead of Williams, who have also displayed competitive performance on certain occasions.
When questioned about the team’s improved performance, particularly on one side of the garage, Tost attributed it to a simple reason: the departure of the individual he had lost trust in.
“The person I didn’t trust anymore is out, as you can imagine, and the others I trust,” Tost revealed during the team bosses’ press conference ahead of the Miami Grand Prix. “Totally easy. And they do a good job.”
While the team’s recent progress is encouraging, AlphaTauri recognizes the need for continuous development to climb higher in the Constructors’ Standings. Tost’s renewed faith in his engineers sets a positive tone for the team moving forward, as they seek to maximize performance and extract the full potential of their car.
As the F1 season progresses, AlphaTauri will aim to build upon their recent improvements and capitalize on the expertise and dedication of their trusted engineers. With a renewed sense of confidence and a focused approach, the team aspires to achieve greater success on the track, elevating their position in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.
