https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/tost-de-vries-provided-a-wake-up-call-for-alphatauri/10435380/ Tost: De Vries provided a "wake-up" call for AlphaTauri F1 team AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost says Formula 1 rookie Nyck de Vries has provided a "wake-up" call for the Faenza outfit. By: Adam Cooper Feb 23, 2023, 11:19 AM Image Unavailable, Please Login Last season de Vries sampled the 2022 Williams, Mercedes and Aston Martin cars, and also completed some laps in a 2021 Alpine. Tost says the Dutchman's recent F1 mileage as well, as the overall experience that he has gained in other categories, enabled him to offer useful feedback when he tried the AlphaTauri at the Abu Dhabi test in November, in effect alerting the team to some of the shortcomings of the AT03. "Nyck de Vries is doing a really good job," said Tost. "He is very experienced, you can see and feel that he is 28 years old, and that he won a lot of races and championships. "And I think that he will be able to adapt to F1 immediately. I expect him to perform well from the first qualifying onwards. "Of course, always when a new driver is coming, if it's not a young driver coming from a lower series, he brings in some input, some technical ideas. And with Nyck we were lucky that last year he was in contact with many teams and many cars. "And I think that our engineers got good technical feedback from his side, especially after the Abu Dhabi test where he did a lot of laps, and where he, fortunately, complained a lot about the car. Because this was a wake-up call for the engineers. "And I hope that we can provide him with a car which performs in the way he likes it."
Mercedes still feels in catch-up mode, despite "calmer" W14 F1 car Mercedes says its mindset of thinking it is playing catch-up this year has not changed, despite the "calmer" behaviour shown by its new W14 Formula 1 car. I would think this is realistic compared to RedBull in particular.
The AMR23 has made an impression on the other teams. One engineer told #AMuS: "Maybe they are even ahead of Mercedes at this early stage." Please let this be true
I wouldn't be surprised, not convinced about the Mercs at all thus far. SF-23 looking way smoother and tuned this morning than yesterday. Sainz already 0.400 faster than Verstappen's best lap yesterday
Absolutely true...but is anything getting a feeling here that they're very comfortable here? I think it's very close between them and Ferrari but think Red Bull is the most comfortable right now. Aston will be there to disturb the Ferrari and Mercedes at times but not be a season long threat.
Why weren't the Mclaren, williams and alfa going when the lights went out...stupid to risk your car like that!
Would love to see Alonso winning a race again ! This guy is a legend. Ps : Happy birthday to another true legend, Alain Prost.
20 seasons after winning his first race as well...what's the longest ''reign'' so to speak? Between first win and last win? If he succeeds he must be knocking on the door of #1 of that...
yap, he's worst than the "Alien" they keep kiling it but he always comes back...at least the "Alien" had some class!
Image Unavailable, Please Login That Aston Martin pace is worrying, assuming same-ish fuel load and engine modes.
Max plonks down a 1.31.8. It's still warm outside, sun still out. Last year's pole was a 1:30.558 in better conditions.
Last years' FP2 time (more or less same time of day) was a 1:31.936 Commentators have used the word Ominous quite a bit since yesterday about the Red Bull. Seems it applies....
