AlphaTauri consistency key for Pierre Gasly to hit Franz Tost target

AlphaTauri

AlphaTauri consistency key for Gasly to hit Tost target

Gasly scored his maiden F1 victory last year

Sam Hall

Wednesday 24 February 2021 09:39

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Pierre Gasly has insisted AlphaTauri must deliver on a consistent basis this season if it is to hit the ambitious target set by team principal Franz Tost.

For the first time last year since entering Formula 1 in 2006 in its former Toro Rosso guise, the team broke into triple figures for its points tally with 107, recording only its second race victory along the way when Gasly won the Italian Grand Prix.

The points total toppled the previous best of 85 from 2019 when that season featured four more races compared to last year.

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For the forthcoming record-breaking 23-race campaign, however, Tost has demanded AlphaTauri be regularly "at the top of the midfield pack".

Gasly has also urged the team to continue its upwards trajectory. He said: "I was really satisfied [with last year], but there is still room for improvement, room for fine-tuning.

"What you need over the whole year is to be consistent and to score at every opportunity. We need to see how the car goes in Bahrain and then we’ll know more. But the key will be consistency and not to make any mistakes."

While there was obvious disappointment from Gasly last year that he failed to regain the Red Bull seat he lost to Alex Albon as the team opted for Sergio Perez, he knows he performed at his maximum.

“I think last year I did a very good job and I was able to drive the way I wanted and I managed to have an excellent relationship with my engineers," added Gasly.

"We understood what the team needed, what I needed and how to work together and that’s what brought the results, and the car did seem pretty good."

Recognising the fine margins that existed between McLaren, Racing Point, Renault, Ferrari and AlphaTauri last year, he said: "Where we are in the midfield, all the teams made a lot of progress and the gaps are very small.

"We finished seventh in the championship, but there were times when we were fighting to be the fourth or fifth best car in the field. We were fighting some very good teams that have big budgets and a lot of experience.

"Last year, we had a car that allowed us to fight with them and I got through to Q3 quite often.

"This year I hope we can make a step up that will allow us to be nearer the front of the midfield.”