Daniel Ricciardo: We have prepared new products for Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be Franz Tost’s last race as head of AlphaTauri. Before the start of the race weekend, team drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda paid tribute to their leader.

Daniel Ricciardo: “The Las Vegas round was disappointing because we couldn’t get the tires working and we had problems all weekend. The Abu Dhabi circuit requires average downforce, so I’m more optimistic going into the last race.

After last weekend’s unusual schedule, we are returning to a more normal schedule. However, as the race will be held under artificial lighting, only the second practice session will be representative of qualifying and race preparation. The first and third parts of the free training largely consist of testing. It may seem like this is going to be a compromise weekend, but it’s actually a good opportunity for us to evaluate a few ideas. I think we’re doing well, so I’m looking forward to the podium. The last race of the season is always fun and Abu Dhabi is a great place.

A few years ago the circuit configuration was changed, which made it more interesting to drive, but did not increase the overtaking opportunities, which did not improve the racing.

The team has prepared several new products for this weekend. And although I have not yet spent a full season with the team, I know that one area that has received a lot of attention is making the car more efficient and less sensitive to air resistance during acceleration. Some of the new products cover this area. These new features should help us make fewer compromises on settings compared to what we had to do at the beginning of the season.

Overall it was an interesting year, even though my season was short and with some problems, but I enjoyed it. It took me less time than I expected to feel comfortable in the car and included in the team. I am happy with this and it gives me confidence for next year.

Franz faces the last race with the team he has been part of since day one. When I first arrived at the base earlier this year, I saw that a lot had changed compared to when I played for the team before, but Franz remained the same. It is always a pleasure to work with him and I admire his determination and will to win, which is as strong as when I joined the team in 2012.”

Yuki Tsunoda: “We did everything we could in Las Vegas and took some risks by starting on Soft. The decision paid off: I moved up to twelfth place and avoided crashes in the opening laps. However, the heating and granulation issues that plagued us all weekend made things more difficult. Now I’m looking forward to a more normal weekend in Abu Dhabi.

I have fond memories of Yas Marina; a few years ago I finished fourth. The team has prepared several new products that should help in the last race and next season. It is important to understand what effect they will have.

Neither we nor Williams earned points in Las Vegas, so the battle for the Constructors’ Championship continues. This weekend it is crucial to put all the parts together, get the most out of the car and seize every opportunity. Qualification will be very important, because even after the configuration changes, catching up is not so easy. I hope the car will be fast and that thanks to the warm weather we won’t have any problems warming up the tires, which we had so much trouble with in Las Vegas.

Franz Tost is the only team principal I have worked with in Formula 1. I feel like I have fought for him this year and I really want to beat Williams in his last race as team principal. I appreciate everything he did. Without him I wouldn’t be here, and without his advice I wouldn’t have made any progress. I hope we end the season with a good result and see a smile on his face.

The last set of stages with work on the simulator between races has proven to be quite tiring, so I’m looking forward to the holidays. I always give 100% in every race and will do the same this weekend. In Abu Dhabi I will use up all the energy I have.”