'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Known as the 'finishing school' for the Red Bull junior talent pool, the AlphaTauri team has also seen its share of success in F1. Its team principal Franz Tost recently gave insights into grooming young talent on the F1 grid in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda. Speaking about AlphaTauri drivers and Red Bull juniors in F2, the Austrian ringmaster of the Red Bull junior team also described the role he played in grooming the reigning champion, Max Verstappen.
What is it like to groom young drivers when they come from the junior categories to AlphaTauri?
First of all, we observe the drivers in the junior categories and then we get in contact with them, talk with them a little bit. Just want to find out how is their approach in motorsport, how they came to motorsport, what are their targets, and how is their lifestyle. Just want to get a feeling how is their passion about everything and once they come to us, they visit the factory. We make a factory tour and they have meetings with the engineers where the engineers explain everything, the technical side from the car. Then there is the seat fitting, it is already interesting to observe them, how they make a seat, how accurate they want to make the seat. Then we have the first test with them out on the race track, we give them some advice.
What was it like grooming the reigning champion Max Verstappen when he was with you at Toro Rosso (AlphaTauri's previous moniker) back in the day? What was your role in his story?
First of all, it is not that I have found him. It is always the sportsman himself who observes his talents in every kinds of sport in skiing, in cricket, in football, everywhere. That means the person himself finds out what he likes to do, someone likes to play football, someone likes to drive a racing car, another one wants to go skiing. Then he observes he has special skills for this and then he gets into an environment of people who support him. I belong to these people who supports them, like trainer coach in a football team and so on. But the person decides himself, it's never the trainer, it is always the person himself. Max, I knew him from karting, I saw so many kart races of him and then I saw all his Formula 3 races and how he was racing. I was convinced he could do a good job in Formula 1. Then, Red Bull, Dr. Marko decided to bring him to us in Toro Rosso in those days and it was quite a successful time. Because Max from his nature, speed is very good. He started from a very, very high level and it was easy to work together with him. He adapted what the team told him to do very fast. That's also very decisive, a small skill the driver adapts faster to everything. So the result we know now, he won the championship.
The AlphaTauri chief is satisfied with his current driver lineup and has set a top-5 target for the team
When it comes to Pierre Gasly, for how long do you expect him to remain at AlphaTauri? Will you regret losing him to Red Bull or any other team?
I hope he stays with us as long as possible because he is doing a fantastic job. He fits very well into the team and we are really excited about his performance.
You speak a lot about discipline and a certain way of life for Formula 1 drivers. Do you think Yuki Tsunoda is in a better place mentally and physically after a year with AlphaTauri?
Of course, because Yuki learned a lot last year and he worked also very hard. He is disciplined. What do I mean by disciplined? Disciplined is to get time, work together with the engineers. The nutritionist is very important, the physical training is very important, that is also a part of the discipline. And Yuki is now much more matured, he is in a much better situation now. And I am looking forward, I think we will have a successful season with Yuki because he is a very very good and high skilled driver.
Yuki was struggling with balance last year and issues with adapting to his car. Do you reckon he is better prepared this year with the new regulations and new cars?
Yes. It was not a major car problem [last year], Yuki sometimes overdoes a little bit of the car. But nevertheless, he was in his Formula 1 season and he had to learn how to set up the car in the best possible way it suits to him. And this is not something you learn immediately, it takes time, it takes minimum two-three years to understand how they set up the car so that the car works good.
Christian Horner mentions in ‘Drive to Survive’ that Yuki needed your finishing school. So how do evaluate him at the moment?
I always say Yuki needs about three years. He needs three years and then we will see whether he can go to Red Bull racing or not. Because you need this time for education, you need this time to learn Formula 1, to learn the techniques of Formula 1, and to get educated to go to a team to fight for victories and the championship.
Knowing it is going to be an unpredictable year, what are the pre-season targets for both the AlphaTauri drivers?
The season target is we have to finish in the first five in the constructor championship.
Is there any chance for AlphaTauri to finish above that?
Above that... If that happens then I invite you to a bottle of champagne. We’ll celebrate it.
The Alpha Tauri team principal gives insights into Red Bull's juniors
Speaking of your junior drivers, Juri Vips, Denis Hauger, and Liam Lawson. If they win an F2 title this year, knowing that your seats at AlphaTauri are already full, what are your plans for them?
There's three of them. Hauger in his first Formula 2 season, we will see now. Lawson has to win races, has to win the championship, and also Vips. We will see them. They are all three together in the same category and at the end of the season, we will see what Red Bull will decide for them next year.
Do you think it's a tough choice this year, with all three of them in the same category?
Oh, it is good because then you see who is the best.
What is your prediction for the Formula 1 season in 2022 as a whole with the regulation changes and new cars?
I think Formula 1 is really on a good way because the new cars are nice and fastened from the technical side, very demanding. We have fantastic drivers, for me, it is the best driver field ever in Formula 1. Because there is no driver in there who I would say he does not deserve to drive a Formula 1 car. We have two races in America and if you talk to FOM, the grandstands are sold out. The interest is really dramatically increasing for Formula 1. We are out all over the world, every second week, and Formula 1 is the only global sport which shows such a fantastic presence in every part of the world. That is good and we hope we will have interesting races. As far as I can see cars are close together and I expect an exciting and interesting season.
Meanwhile, AlphaTauri drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda will start P10 and P16 respectively at the 2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. After a rather disappointing season last year, where the team came 6th behind Alpine in the constructors' championship, AlphaTauri will be looking to redeem themselves starting from the very first race of the season.
