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AlphaTauri drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda have revealed that qualifying will be key for the Imola GP weekend. While it is a home race for both drivers, with their team headquarters in Faenza, the duo are looking forward to the Italian GP weekend.
Speaking about the circuit in a team preview, Gasly said:
"I’m always happy to drive there, I’ve had some good Qualifying performances, particularly in 2020, when I was fourth on the grid..."
"Overtaking is quite tricky, as the track is narrow, so it will be important to focus on Qualifying on Friday, before dealing with the added challenge of the Sprint Race on Saturday, which this year is another opportunity to score points.”
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The AlphaTauri Frenchman feels the Spring Race on Saturday will make Qualifying very important, and will therefore be critical to nailing the session.
Gasly had qualified fourth on the Imola circuit in 2020 but retired from the race. However, in 2021, the driver managed a comfortable seventh place finish. The Italian GP winner had a ninth-place finish in Melbourne but will be looking for opportunities to shine in Imola.
Outlining his expectations for the Imola GP, Tsunoda said:
“I’d imagine that the way you can ride the kerbs will be different this year and we will see how the car behaves in FP1 and then adapt quickly for Qualifying. I think I am well prepared with the driving I have done there in the past and the simulator session I did last week."
"I’ve been living in Italy for a while now, so this will definitely feel like a home race, especially as I can stay in my own house every night, which is close to the track and nicer than being in a hotel. It will be a bit strange, but I think it will be a more comfortable arrangement allowing me to concentrate on the race.”
Having raced only once on the Imola circuit, Tsunoda expects to perform better than his past performances where he finished 12th. The team has tested at the circuit and most of the Japanese driver’s preparation has evolved around the iconic Italia circuit. So one can expect more from the AlphaTauri rookie in his second Imola race.
Pierre Gasly confirms AlphaTauri will be bringing updates to their car
Confirming the upgrades being brought by the team to Imola, Gasly believes the team will have to find more performances over the next few weekends to match their competitors. While AT03 is being upgraded at the Imola GP weekend, the AlphaTauri drivers are eager to compete on their home circuit, where the team will have a lot of support.
Speaking to Motorsport Network, the AlphaTauri driver said:
“We should have a couple of new parts on the car and it's not like we are dead slow. I don’t think we are missing much, but we need to come up with some development if we want to keep up with the other guys."
"The teams that manage to develop their cars faster than others will have a better season. I think it's a big test for us, and hopefully it brings the performance we expect.”
The Faenza-based team is eighth in the Constructor’s standings with ten points in total. However, fifth place is their ideal target and also where they finished in 2021, according to team principal Franz Tost, who spoke to Sportskeeda in Bahrain.
