Tost backs his drivers to take risks

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost says he wants his drivers to continue taking risks in order to maximise results as the team look to prevail in F1’s fiercely competitive midfield.

Tost’s comments come as a result of Carlos Sainz Jr’s retirement from the Bahrain Grand Prix after a collision with Williams’ Lance Stroll. Analysts argued that it was Sainz’ over-ambition that caused the incident.

The two cars met at the apex of Turn 1 as Sainz looked to pass Stroll while filtering back into the race after his first pit-stop. Sainz retired with suspension damage while Stroll’s right sidepod was destroyed in the skirmish.

Tost has defended Sainz’s decision to attempt the audacious overtake.

“He was fighting for a position within the top ten, he knew that the car was competitive – and that he could go for it,” Tost stated. “It was one moment of over-optimism – but that is part of our game! I predict that we will see some fantastic races from Carlos this season.

“It was one moment of over-optimism – but that is part of our game! I predict that we will see some fantastic races from Carlos this season.

“If you don’t risk anything you don’t get anywhere, so I support drivers who take risks. I hardly criticise a driver if he risks something and it doesn’t work out.”

With Sainz an early retiree and teammate Daniil Kvyat mired outside the points in Bahrain, Toro Rosso slipped from fourth in the constructors’ standings to sixth.

While it is not uncommon to see positions regularly exchanged during the early chapters of a new campaign, Tost highlighted that the competitive nature of the midfield tussle will see this trend continue throughout 2017.

“The midfield is very, very tight and all teams in that segment are super competitive: Williams, Force India, Toro Rosso, Haas and Renault. These five teams will fight it out for P4 in the constructors’ championship. So at best you will end up fourth – and in the worst-case scenario, P8.”

“These five teams will fight it out for P4 in the constructors’ championship. So at best you will end up fourth – and in the worst-case scenario, P8.”