F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Albon: Toro Rosso lacking the points to match its pace

Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon says his team has so far this season demonstrated a good level of performance but fallen short on results.

After scoring points in the first three races of the year, the Faenza-based squad failed to secure a top-ten finish in Baku where Albon's team mate Daniil Kvyat qualified a promising sixth.

However, the Russian driver was never a contender in Azerbaijan, drifting down the order at the outset before retiring following a clash with Renault's Daniel Ricciardo's.

Toro Rosso's opening four-race run has put it a lowly ninth in the Constructors' standings, just ahead of the beleaguered Williams outfit, a position that doesn't reflect the team's potential insists Albon.

"At the minute we’re not getting the results we deserve," said the British-Thai racer.

"We’ve either qualified well or raced well. Daniil proved the car is quick, and we have been quick in other races. Our issue is just one thing or another not going our way.

"I think that, points wise, compared to pace wise, we don’t have the points that our pace shows," he added.

"There’s definitively missed opportunities there, because the points don’t look great. But we can fight back.

"We’ll see in Barcelona. We have the data from winter testing, we know the car is quick and we’ll be strong."

Despite his team's difficulties in fulfilling its potential, Albon's own performance since the season kicked off hasn't gone unnoticed, with his charge from pitlane to P10 in China a particular highlight.

In retrospect, the 23-year-old certainly has no regrets about choosing F1 over Formula E when it came to deciding his future at the end of last year.

"Coming from Formula E, making the transition, there is always a risk there," Albon said.

"But when I was six years old, whenever I thought about motorsport, Formula 1 is what any driver wants to do when they’re young.

"Of course even from Formula 2, the goal was always Formula 1. But as it looked less and less likely. That’s when I went to Formula E.

"So when I got the chance again, it was quite clear to me what I wanted to do.

"Of course there is less stability in Formula 1 probably, but still saying that, in Formula E you still have to perform, you still have to deliver results.

"On my side, it was just no regrets. You don’t want to miss out on your one chance on Formula 1.

"So that was quite an easy decision."

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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.

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