AlphaTauri‘s team principal, Franz Tost will be leaving the sport after spending 17 glorious years at the pinnacle of motorsport. In light of his departure, Yuki Tsunoda has sworn to beat Williams at the championship finale as a parting gift for his beloved boss, per reports on X.
Tsunoda was quoted as saying, “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. I appreciate what he has done.”
A man who achieved his dream of leading a Formula 1 team ✨
Outgoing AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost speaks about how he helped launch the careers of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, plus more on the latest #F1BeyondTheGrid podcast! 🎙️#F1
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 22, 2023
Tost has played a vital role in young Tsunoda’s F1 career. And the Japanese driver acknowledges that. He continued, “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.”
The Faenza-based Red Bull sister team has gained exponentially on Williams in the latter part of the 2023 season. Currently, only seven points separate the two. Ever since the Austin Grand Prix weekend, the team has looked pacier than before with a massive upgrade package. Now, grabbing 7th in the Constructors’ championship can become a reality.
Abu Dhabi GP can be a gamechanger for AlphaTauri
There is no doubt about the fact that AlphaTauri have unlocked a considerable amount of pace from their 2023 challenger. However, their competitors, Williams have stopped upgrading the car since the Italian GP weekend at Monza.
Williams’ boss, James Vowles had revealed, “The car we [currently] have, that’s it. Unlike Haas, who are a fierce adversary, we don’t have anything more coming for the remainder of the year.” Hence, the Swiss-based team might just have an edge over the British racing team going into Abu Dhabi.
🗣| More from Peter Bayer 👇🏻
[via: weszlo] #YT22 #AlphaTauri #F1 #f1jp https://t.co/I215dVi1Jz pic.twitter.com/qLFDRhblvY
— Hawk #YT22 (@Hawk9248) November 22, 2023
Next year, there is going to be a distinct change at the top of AlphaTauri. With Tost exiting the scene, Tsunoda will have a new boss and mentor. It has been revealed that FIA man, Peter Bayer will be joining the team from 2024 onwards in a leadership position.
In 2024, Tsunoda would not have the excuse of inexperience. It would be his 4th full-time season in the sport. And being pitted against the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, next year could be a make or break year for the Japanese driver’s Red Bull aspirations.
