Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
Just 58 laps remain for a season, and a career
Following 58 laps around Yas Marina Circuit this weekend, the curtain will fall on the 2023 Formula 1 season.
As well as the run from Franz Tost at AlphaTauri.
Tost has been with the team since its inception, when he took over at the Team Principal at Toro Rosso when the racing outfit was acquired by Red Bull. He has served in that capacity since 2005, including during the team’s re-brand to AlphaTauri ahead of the 2020 F1 season.
Under his guidance, the team has enjoyed three sixth-place finishes in the Constructors’ Championship, in 2008, 2019, and 2021. They sit in eight place in the Constructors’ Championship this season, and enter the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a chance at overtaking Williams for P7 with a good result.
In the team’s media preview for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, both Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda paid tribute to the outgoing team boss, who announced in April he would be departing at the end of the season.
“This will be Franz’s last race with the team, which is quite something as he’s been there since Day 1,” said Ricciardo in the team’s media preview. “When I visited the factory for the first time earlier this year, plenty had changed since I last raced for them, but Franz has been a constant presence. It’s always been a pleasure to work with him, and you have to admire his dedication and will to win, which is as strong today as it was when I first started with the team back in 2012.”
As for their fight with Williams, Tsunoda maintains that a seventh-place finish is in their sights, and believe such a result would be the right way for Tost’s time with the team to draw to a close.
“Although we didn’t score points in Vegas, neither did Williams, so our fight in the Constructors’ championship is still on, with the seven-point gap unchanged,” said Tsunoda. “I think putting everything together all week, extracting all the performance from the car, and maximising any opportunity will be crucial.
“Qualifying will be very important because even with the latest track layout, overtaking isn’t easy. Hopefully, the car will perform well, and the warm conditions mean we won’t have the tyre warm-up problem that affected us so badly in Las Vegas.”
Then his thoughts turned to Tost, and the right way to end his run at AlphaTauri.
“Franz Tost has been the only F1 team boss I’ve worked with. I feel I’ve been fighting for him this year, and I really want to beat Williams for him in his last race as team principal,” added Tsunoda. “I appreciate what he has done. Without him, I wouldn’t be racing here, and without his advice, I wouldn’t have made as much progress as I have. Hopefully, we can finish on a good note, end the season the way we want, and be able to put a smile on his face.”
