#Tost opens up on how close AlphaTauri came to signing IndyCar star Herta

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Tost opens up on how close AlphaTauri came to signing IndyCar star Herta

AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost believes signing American driver Colton Herta would have been an exciting prospect for his squad, but feels confident they can have a “successful” 2023 with new arrival Nyck de Vries and incumbent Yuki Tsunoda. Red Bull had been exploring a potential deal with Herta to bring the IndyCar star into their stable as a replacement for Pierre Gasly, ahead of the Frenchman’s switch from AlphaTauri to Alpine being confirmed. READ MORE: FIA stands firm on Colton Herta F1 Super Licence Herta caught the eye by becoming IndyCar’s youngest-ever winner at the age of 18 in 2019, and has taken six more victories since, but he does not have the required 40 Super Licence points to make the step to F1. With three Grands Prix set to be held across the United States next season – in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas – the arrival of an American driver would represent further growth – with Alexander Rossi the last US racer to drive in F1 back in 2015. Herta has seven IndyCar victories to his name Discussing the recent driver market movements, Tost said: “Of course, there were some talks with Herta, but he doesn’t have a Super Licence. And when the FIA said that they will not provide him with a Super Licence, it was clear that he is not any more an option for AlphaTauri. “To have an American driver with this good name, I think, would have pushed us forward in the American market. We are an ambassador for [the] AlphaTauri [brand] and, therefore, this would have been a good possibility from the marketing side, but it didn’t work and then we looked for another option.” ANALYSIS: Why AlphaTauri recruited De Vries for 2023 – and how Max Verstappen helped him secure the seat As it transpired, AlphaTauri secured the services of former F2 champion De Vries after his impressive F1 race debut at the Italian Grand Prix – the Dutchman scoring points for Williams when stepping in for the unwell Alex Albon. With the team set to lose their most experienced driver in Gasly over the winter, Tost expressed optimism that De Vries – who has also made F1 practice outings with Mercedes and Aston Martin – and Tsunoda will step up to the mark and combine well as team mates. De Vries will join Tsunoda at AlphaTauri next season “The guidance of the team depends also on the performance of the car. If we have a good car, it’s easy for both drivers. If we have problems in the car, then I think that it will not be so easy to sort out everything, because Nyck hasn’t so much Formula 1 experience [and] Yuki is still in a learning process,” Tost commented. “I think that Yuki next year should be matured enough to give technical guidance. Nevertheless, I expect a lot from Nyck, because he has experience from the racing categories where he won races and championships. Therefore, once more, if the car works, I think that we will have a successful year.” via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

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IndyCar racers Alex Palou and Pato OWard set for FP1 sessions with McLaren in Austin and Abu Dhabi

IndyCar racers Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward are set to make their Formula 1 race weekend debuts this season, when they run in first practice sessions for McLaren. Both drivers have previously driven last year’s McLaren car in private tests, but will now get a taste of current F1 machinery in a Grand Prix weekend environment, as McLaren look to fulfil their obligation under the regulations to give two young drivers practice runs. READ MORE: Theo Pourchaire to make FP1 debut with Alfa Romeo at Austin – and take reserve driver role in 2023 Spanish driver Palou – the 2021 IndyCar champion – will take over Daniel Ricciardo’s car for FP1 at next week’s United States Grand Prix at Austin. Meanwhile Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward will take the wheel of the MCL36 in first practice at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Palou said: “I’m so excited to be making my F1 weekend debut. It’s great to be driving in the United States in front of fans that may have seen me race in IndyCar. “Having driven the 2021 McLaren MCL35M in a few tests now, I can’t wait to put the MCL36 through its paces. I look forward to helping the team in their preparation for the 2022 United States Grand Prix.” O’Ward said: “I can’t wait to get out on track in Abu Dhabi. I’ve developed as a driver and had a lot of fun testing last year’s car with the team, so it will be a great experience to drive the MCL36. Thank you McLaren F1 for the opportunity.” McLaren boss Andreas Seidl added: “We’re pleased to give Alex and Pato the opportunity to take part in Free Practice sessions with McLaren. With Alex’s great successes in IndyCar, it will be useful for the team to get his feedback on the car and for us to continue to evaluate him as a driver. “Alex and Pato impressed with their recent tests in Barcelona and Austria and we’re excited to offer them the experience in the MCL36. It’s a great chance for them to showcase their skills on Formula One’s global stage, where the focus will be to help the team prepare for the race weekend and not on ultimate lap times.” READ MORE: Tost opens up on how close AlphaTauri came to signing IndyCar star Herta via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com