Brendon Hartley believes a points finish was within his reach at Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix before a mechanical failure forced him out.
Hartley started from 19th on the grid and was equipped with a fresh power unit after Honda elected to take on new components for tactical purposes.
Hartley started on Supersoft tyres and remained on the red-banded rubber throughout the race, and held 11th position on track when his STR13 suddenly slowed on lap 54 of 71.
Hartley was forced into retirement and reckoned that he and Toro Rosso had the potential to move into the top 10 for only the second time this season.
“The pace was really good and I had a real opportunity to score points,” said Hartley.
“We were going really long, the plan was to put Ultra Softs for the end, and I think I would have been able to pass the field and points were definitively possible.
“The team believes that with the pace I had I could have scored points, and that’s disappointing.”
Expanding on his failure, Hartley said: “Halfway through that lap I felt something was not right with the rear of the car and I immediately asked the team if they could see if I had a puncture.
“They said it was all fine, but as I went into Turn 9 there was something completely broken in the rear end of the car.
“Obviously by that time I had missed the entry to the pit lane and then, coming out of Turn 1 I had to stop.
“We don’t yet know what broke, but it was nothing to do with Honda, but something on the rear of the car. There was no high impact with anything, so they’re still investigating what happened.”
