2021 Imola Grand Prix Team Preview: AlphaTauri 

For the Faenza-based AlphaTauri team, the Imola Grand Prix is their first home race of the season. The team will be under immense pressure to perform well. Pierre Gasly won the team's last home race at Monza in 2020. Yuki Tsunoda is coming off a P9 finish on his debut in Formula 1. The drivers summarized their expectations for the second race of the season.

Gasly, who scored his maiden win last year, is looking to redeem his dull start to the season in Bahrain. The French AlphaTauri driver said:

“Overall, in terms of performance and speed, it is very encouraging for the rest of the season, starting with Imola this weekend. From what we saw in Bahrain, it seems we have a package that will allow us to fight for the big points and there is no reason for that not to be the case for the coming races.”

🗣️ @PierreGASLY "Last year in Imola, I got my best ever Qualifying with the team on the second row. Unfortunately, that race ended early with a problem while I was lying fifth... so now I’m keen to get back there and make up for last year’s disappointment.”

— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) April 14, 2021

Looking forward to Imola, the AlphaTauri driver said:

“Now we head to Imola, which is one of my favourite circuits. I love it. It is technical with a lot of fast corners which allows you to get into a rhythm and you are always busy as it is quite twisty."

Although the Frenchman qualified on the front row last year, his race was compromised by a technical problem while he was running in fifth. The issue forced AlphaTauri to retire the car, ending Gasly's race.

AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda in Bahrain. Photo: Peter Fox/Getty Images.

AlphaTauri drivers aim at being front-runners in Imola

AlphaTauri's Japanese rookie, Yuki Tsunoda, was hailed by the paddock for his debut performance in Bahrain. The young driver grabbed eyeballs when he classified second in Q1 and then came home for a P9 finish. Speaking about the Imola Grand Prix weekend, the rookie sensation seemed confident, saying:

“It won’t be a problem in Imola, as I have driven there a lot and so I can work in a similar way to what I did in Bahrain. I will use the experience from the first race and I already have confidence in the car in Imola.”

📽️ How Do You Prepare To Be An F1 Driver? We asked the man who got @YukiTsunoda07 ready to go racing 💪🏋️‍♂️ Meet Yuki's Performance Coach, Noel Carroll 👋#PoweredByHonda

— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) April 12, 2021

When asked about his favorite sections of the circuit, Yuki Tsunoda replied:

"... I like the fast chicanes like turns one and two, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. It really is a special feature of Imola.”

The AlphaTauri drivers had the opportunity to test their 2021 car for five days before the season started. This gave both drivers a better understanding of the car around the Imola circuit. The practice sessions on Friday will be a bonus for the Italian team. AlphaTauri will focus on optimizing their car for maximum performance.

The young AlphaTauri driver yearns for perfection from his next weekend. He has also realized the car's true potential. The young Japanese intends to fight the front runners confidently.

AlphaTauri’s form is very close to its sister team, Red Bull Racing. It won’t be a surprise if either driver is targeting a podium come race day. While Gasly has performed consistently with the team for two seasons, it is Tsunoda that will grab the attention at the Imola Grand Prix weekend.