Scuderia Toro Rosso had a difficult weekend at the 2016 Japanese Grand Prix, with Daniil Kvyat finishing in thirteenth position and Carlos Sainz in seventeenth.
Team Principal Franz Tost realised that it wasn’t the style of driving the put the team so far out of the points, but instead the lack of straight-line speed the car has been suffering from throughout the season.
“Starting from P13 and P14 made it a difficult race for us today. We simply don’t have the speed on the straight lines, something you certainly need to perform well,” commented Tost, who acknowledges that the 2015 specification Ferrari engines are not producing the speed that the team needs.
Tost had no issue with either of the drivers performances, and also was impressed with the pit stops that the team carried out, commenting that, “both drivers did a good start and after the first lap we moved up to P11 and P12. Our pit-stops were also carried out well, but we lost time in traffic and therefore we were only able to finish thirteenth and seventeenth.”
Some consolation can be taken, however, from the fact that none of the midfield teams that are normally Toro Rosso’s closest competitors, finished in the points in today’s race.
“Fortunately, neither Haas nor McLaren scored any points, but of course the last four races of the season won’t be easy for us, because all the others made steps forward with the development of their Power Units – as we are out with last years’ specification, we simply face a disadvantage regarding speed… We just have to be focused and finish the season in a reasonably good way.”
