Yuki Tsunoda believes AlphaTauri are in a good position to challenge Williams in the Constructors’ Championship after qualifying sixth for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
AlphaTauri currently sits eighth in the Constructors’ standings on 21 points, seven behind seventh-placed Williams on 28 points with only the season finale remaining.
However, a combination of Logan Sargeant failing to set a valid lap time and Alex Albon exiting qualifying in Q2 has opened an opportunity for the Faenza squad.
Tsunoda achieved his best qualifying result on Saturday at the Yas Marina Circuit, but the weekend hasn’t been without its troubles dialling in a new floor update to the AT04.
“Yeah, today was an enjoyable day in qualifying especially,” Tsunoda said. “The team did a very good job.
“Yesterday was not an easy day for us. Having the upgrade definitely looks good on paper, but at the same time we struggled to adjust to the balance.
“We took qualifying session by session and I definitely felt better and better. Qualifying it was a really good car and without [the team’s] effort I wouldn’t be here.
“Really clean, really good car and another P6 so ready for tomorrow.”
Tsunoda is well aware of the task at hand to overcome the seven-point deficit to Williams on Sunday, understandably classifying it as “a very important race”.
But should he finish in the same position he qualified, he’d claim eight points, enough to take seventh in the Constructors’ away from the team’s rivals.
However, with potentially faster cars misplaced in qualifying and starting behind him, that could be a tall order for Tsunoda, but his qualifying performance gives him confidence.
“Obviously, I would like to make it work and we should definitely,” he added. “We are in a good position and I think it’s possible so I’ll do as much as I can, I’ll do my best to finish high.”
AlphaTauri would have hoped that given the pace of the AT04, Daniel Ricciardo would have joined Tsunoda in the top-10 shootout in qualifying.
However, the Australian lamented struggling with grip as he missed out and finished the session down in 15th place.
“Honestly, we were just slow today, or slow relative to yesterday,” Ricciardo rued.
“I think we had a lot more to show and it looked a lot more promising but when we put the car on track today, we felt like we lost some speed.
“Yesterday we were looking better. It looked like we were a lot better but in the end a frustrating day.
“Hopefully we just put the car on the track tomorrow and it feels like Friday. I think tomorrow it’s a long old race. A lot of people saved two Hards or two sets of something.
“So, there could be a two-stop which hopefully opens up the strategy so we can do something. Right now, I kind of just want to understand where today got away from us.”
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