The AlphaTauri drivers can score points in Jeddah

If AlphaTauri didn’t score any points during the first race weekend in Bahrain, Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries still had a decent race, finishing 11th and 14th respectively. They are determined to improve in Jeddah starting tomorrow.

The young Chinese driver is aware of the work to be done on the car in order to compete with their direct competitor, Williams, who is currently faster on the straight lines. However, it is certain that the Saudi track will suit him better.

“After the weekend in Bahrain, it is clear that our performances are far from what we wanted for the first race, especially since our goal is to be at the forefront of the midfield. We still need to improve the performance of our car. Last year, we were fighting with Williams for 9th and 10th places in the constructors’ standings. This means that we need to focus on the development of our car, and as for me, I need to try to extract the most performance possible from the car, and I would say that I succeeded in doing so in Bahrain on Sunday,” he declares.

I know where we have difficulties, but for this weekend in Saudi Arabia, I hope that we can do better than in Bahrain. I will strive to provide the team with as much useful information as possible and then we will see how things go. I believe that the fast nature of the Saudi track will suit our package better, so let’s wait and see.

He admits to being excited to race on this circuit, where he was unable to compete in the race last year due to a technical failure.

Last year, my Saudi weekend did not go at all as planned, as technical issues prevented me from racing on Saturday and taking part in the race on Sunday. I find it to be a pleasant circuit to drive on. It is truly unique, especially sector 1 with its high-speed esses, which are very specific to the Saudi circuit and cannot be found anywhere else on the calendar. The reliability of this year’s car has been good so far. During testing and the first race, we did not encounter any major issues, so I am confident for this year and I am looking forward to it.

On his side, Nyck de Vries shares this impatience, as he will be driving for the first time in his career on this track. Hindered by tire degradation in Bahrain, he is counting on a less abrasive track to improve.

(I) I think we shouldn’t hide that we are not exactly where we want to be in terms of performance. There is still a lot of work to do. We feel like we need to further narrow the gap in low-speed corners and Bahrain has a lot of them, so we hope that Saudi Arabia will suit our package a little better. Ultimately, the midfield is extremely tight and the fight for points will be tough because there are at least four teams ahead that have already taken eight positions. It will be a challenge, but we need to make sure that we leave nothing behind in order to capitalize on potential opportunities.

« Tire wear was a significant factor in the first race, but I think Bahrain is an exception when it comes to degradation, so in Saudi Arabia, it will be a different story. »

Regarding Jeddah, I participated in the race last year, but I never drove on the track, even though I practiced on the simulator quite often, the last time being last week. It looks very cool: fast and delicate. Honestly, I can’t wait to take on the challenge, learn a new circuit, and get back to racing.

Meet me tomorrow at 2:30 PM to experience the first free practice sessions. Click here for the results.