AlphaTauri hope for improvement: 'Midfield is very close'

Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda enjoyed a short holiday during the summer break, but the drivers must get back to work. AlphaTauri are only in eighth position in the Constructors' Championship and will be hoping for better results in the second half of the season.

"No points were scored and things did not go our way", Gasly says in AlphaTauri's press release about the past few races. The team has introduced a number of updates since the French Grand Prix and hopes for improvement. "It’s still complicated and the midfield teams are all very close. We’re not throwing in the towel, we are continuing to work hard and give our maximum to try and bring out more performance from the car as quickly as possible, so that we can chase points every weekend."

Spa-Francorchamps will provide an extra challenge this year, as the circuit has made a number of adjustments. Especially the Eau Rouge-Raidillon section looks different with new gravel traps. Pirelli has already warned the drivers about flat tyres, as the gravel is very sharp and can easily end up on the track.

Tsunoda busy training

Tsunoda has been able to enjoy his holiday, but the Japanese driver has also had to train a lot. "In the first week, I went to a training facility in Austria, also talking to a sports psychologist and working with a physio. I spent maybe 70% of the time training, but I know what works for me and I prefer not to reset completely in a break." Tsunoda has exploded several times over the team radio and is also referred to as the 'problem child' by Helmut Marko. The AlphaTauri driver is working hard to produce better performances to secure a Formula One seat with the team. Only Gasly has an official contract extension for 2023.