Toro Rosso ready to overtake Renault in championship at final race of the season
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
With the opportunity of Toro Rosso overtaking Renault in the constructors' championship arising, team principal Franz Tost is ready to take on the French works team in Abu Dhabi at the final Grand Prix of the F1 season.
With one race to go in the season and with McLaren out of sight for fourth place, Renault now have to check their rear-view mirrors as Toro Rosso are right on their tail for fifth place in the championship.
The Faenza-based side, who will race under the name Toro Rosso for one last time at the Yas Marina Circuit before changing their name to Alpha Tauri, have been in impressive form since the summer break, accruing 40 of their total 83 points in the eight races since the summer break.
As they're 16 points clear of Racing Point in seventh place, they should have sixth place locked up now and can look ahead, and they're ready to take on Renault in the 21st and final race of the 2019 season.
"You never know what happens," Tost responded when asked about potentially leapfrogging Renault for fifth by Motorsport.com.
"Therefore be careful. We are only eight points behind Renault, which means also this [fifth place] is still possible. But we have to be clever.
"We have to set up the car in a correct way. Abu Dhabi is another track and hopefully we are competitive there as well."
Toro Rosso scored 19 points in Brazil thanks to Pierre Gasly's incredible P2-finish, meaning they're just eight points behind Renault now in the standings. It's not just pride that's at stake either, as each team in the constructors' championship gets prize money based on their finishing position. Millions of dollars are at stake.