Toro Rosso happy with double points finish
Toro Rosso benefited in the best way possible from an early crash in the race to move up in the pecking order. The team continued well with strong pace throughout the race. Both cars were always closely matched with Vergne eventually finished 8th, just ahead of his team mate Ricciardo.
Jean-Eric Vergne, STR7-03, 8th:
“I am really happy after what was a fantastic race. I had hoped to come here and score points on my favourite track and I managed it. I had a very good car and I was able to do some good overtaking moves. It was a shame I lost a lot of time behind Rosberg, but I’m not complaining on a day when I finally scored some points again. I did not get a very good start, as I just touched the anti-stall. That meant quite a few cars passed me and that’s when I saw there was a crash. I braked and took a line as near to the inside as possible and I came out of it without too much trouble. I enjoyed myself today and I think we are on the right track although it’s hard to say exactly what was better about our car this weekend. We will analyse everything that happened this afternoon with the intention of being even stronger in Monza next weekend. The team worked well and the pit stops were good so well done to them too and it’s great that Daniel also scored points. I will leave Spa with a good souvenir of this weekend.”
Daniel Ricciardo, STR7-04, 9th:
“That was good fun! We managed to benefit from the incident immediately after the start, when I had got a good run off the line. Then I managed to move right to the inside going through the hairpin and came out sixth. My first stint was on the Medium tyre and I think I ran as high as fourth at one point. However, I was not quite as quick in my last two stints which were on the Prime, so I dropped a couple of positions. You always want to do better, you always want more, but you can’t complain with ninth, being back in the points for the first time since Melbourne. Hopefully, it will give us some momentum for the team’s home Grand Prix next week.”
Franz Tost, Team Principal:
“In this the first race after the summer break, we have managed to score as many points as we did in the whole first half of the season! We benefited from the misfortune of others, with the crash at the first corner after the start, because Ricciardo and Vergne completed the opening lap in sixth and seventh places, from 16th and 15th respectively on the grid. From then, both drivers did a good job to build on that, pulling off some decisive overtaking manoeuvres and our pit stops were also pretty good. The whole team performed well and this return to the points with both cars is a much needed boost for all the backroom staff in Bicester and Faenza. Now I hope we can continue in this way in just a few days’ time when many of our people will be making the short trip to Monza to see us tackle our home race.”
