Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost is pleased the Hungarian Grand Prix keeps the team on target to finish in the top five of the constructors' championship.
The aim to finish in the top five was made at the launch of Toro Rosso's car in Jerez this year, with the team looking to better its 6th place in 2008 - the year Sebastian Vettel won in Monza. Max Verstappen took fourth in the Hungarian Grand Prix to leave Toro Rosso seventh in the standings but now just nine points behind fifth-placed Force India.
“Budapest showed once again an exciting and very interesting race, which is good for Formula 1," Tost said. "Scuderia Toro Rosso managed to score the best result since years with Max’ fourth place. He drove fantastically and showed a really good performance, managing the tyres well and keeping everything under control.
"Unfortunately, with Carlos [Sainz] we had a technical failure from our side – because of a broken hose clip - otherwise he could’ve also finished in the points.
"We have now closed the gap to our direct competitors and I think we are still in a position to achieve our goal, which is to finish the season in fifth position in the Constructors’ Championship."
And Tost admits he took satisfaction from the podium in Budapest as Sebastian Vettel won from Red Bull pair Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo.
"I’d like to congratulate Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel for [the] fantastic win, as well as the Red Bull drivers, especially Daniil Kvyat, as a P2 is his best result in his F1 career so far. It was nice to see that the first four to cross the line are present and past Toro Rosso drivers.”
Sainz left frustrated by strategy and reliability
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