Tost hails 'fantastic' Monaco effort by Gasly

©WRI

40

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost lavished praise on Pierre Gasly, hailing the rookie's outstanding performance in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

Gasly never put a foot wrong around the twisty and challenging streets of Monte Carlo, delivering a consistent drive to seventh while perfectly executing the team's tyre strategy.

The Frenchman made the most of Pirelli's hypersoft compound with a very long first stint that set him up nicely for a consolidation of his position in the top ten in the second half of the race.

Brake disc failure blamed for Leclerc/Hartley smash

"From Thursday onwards we were quite competitive, unfortunately, we did not get everything out of our package in qualifying, but what counts is the race," said Tost.

"Pierre Gasly did a fantastic job finishing in seventh place, he controlled the race from the beginning onward and he really took care of his tyres.

"Taking into consideration it was his first time here in Monaco in a Formula 1 car, he managed the tyres in a very professional way, therefore we could stay out with the Hypersoft so long.

"The strategy was also absolutely correct, calling him in very late which put him in seventh position."

Team mate Brendon Hartley almost made it a double points finish for the Faenza-based squad, but the Kiwi ended up as collateral damage in Charles Leclerc's brake failure seven laps form the checkered flag.

"Brendon Hartley was close to scoring some points, but unfortunately, Leclerc crashed into his rear and he could not finish the race," added Tost.

"We are now looking forward to Canada, where we expect a similar performance as we’ve had in Monaco," he said.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.