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Nick de Vries has explained the atmosphere in the team following “questionable comments from engineers” of AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost.
At last weekend’s Saudi Grand Prix, Tost admitted he had lost faith in his engineers after the AT04 failed to deliver the performance boost he had hoped for.
AlphaTauri CEO Franz Tost holds the microphone at the F1 Saudi Grand Prix press conference on March 17, 2023
Alpha Tauri is one of those midfield players who have turned losers with the introduction of the ground effects car. Despite finishing 6th in the Constructors’ Championship in 2021, last year he dropped to 9th with just 35 points.
De Vries said in a press conference held the day before the opening of the Australian GP, ”Honestly, the atmosphere in the team is great. I think, ‘he said.
“I feel it doesn’t make a difference whatever is said, and I think it was taken a little out of context. Everyone is confused.”
“We all want to be as fast as Red Bull, who win and give dominant performances, and we work hard for that and we are passionate about what we do.
“For me, I don’t think the atmosphere in the team has changed and I’m happy with where we are. I’m sure we all want to keep moving forward.”
When asked if Tost was as strict with drivers as he was with engineers, he replied, “You should ask Pierre, who has more experience than me,” and Pierre Gasly, who was sitting next to him (Alpine).
AlphaTauri’s Nick de Vries and Franz Tost, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, chat during the F1 Saudi Grand Prix March 18, 2023
At the previous round in Saudi Arabia, he was forced to withdraw from FP3 due to a problem with the Honda RBPT power unit, and was hit by a series of problems. But De Vries ignores him and criticizes his own run.
Asked if being forced out of FP3 contributed to his frustration after the race, De Vries said: “We have to take small steps, stay positive and try to close the gap to the top 10 . I think he’s in,” he said, focusing on his own performance.
“The last eight laps were quite competitive and I think there were some positive elements, but I don’t think it was necessarily enough in the traffic.”
“Especially from the restart when I was on the hard, it took me too long to get the tires working, so I was critical of myself. In those moments, I didn’t do enough work . I didn’t.”
“Having said that, after two races I feel like I’m making a bit of progress, which is encouraging. Hopefully we can continue to make progress this weekend and fight for points. I think
Nick de Vries (AlphaTauri) responds to fan photo request, F1 Australian Grand Prix March 30, 2023
