Ricciardo: Franz Tost has been a constant presence

After being AlphaTauri aka Toro Rosso boss since the team took over Minardi at the end of the 2005 season, the 67-year-old Austrian will call it quits when the lights go out at the Yas Marina season finale this Sunday.

It was a role Tost filled with top marks, albeit largely under the radar. Tasked with the vital task of developing young drivers through the Red Bull junior programme. He was instrumental on the journey to the top for the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. Grand Prix winners and a couple of World Champions among them.

Of course, Tost was also the bearer of bad news for a dozen or so Red Bull wannabe drivers who never quite cut it. Or, if they did, did not last long when promoted to the senior team.

While several former F1 drivers Tost coached and helped develop have gone on to success in other premier racing series, as the likes of Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly remain on the F1 grid.

Tost oversaw Ricciardo first in 2012 and 2013 when the team was Scuderia Toro Rosso. And again this year, Red Bull's prodigal son was back in the team under Franz.

Of 67-year-old Tost's final Grand Prix as AlphaTauri boss, Ricciardo said: "This will be Franz’s last race with the team, which is quite something as he’s been there since Day 1. When I visited the factory for the first time earlier this year, plenty had changed since I last raced for them.

"Franz has been a constant presence. It’s always been a pleasure to work with him, and you have to admire his dedication and will to win, which is as strong today as it was when I first started with the team back in 2012," recalled the Australian.

Ricciardo's Alpha Tauri teammate, Tsunoda added: "Franz Tost has been the only F1 team boss I've worked with. I feel I've been fighting for him this year, and I really want to beat Williams for him in his last race as team principal. I appreciate what he has done.

"Without him, I wouldn't be racing here, and without his advice, I wouldn't have made as much progress as I have. Hopefully, we can finish on a good note, end the season the way we want, and be able to put a smile on his face," declared the Japanese driver.

With only the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remaining in this year's (long ago settled) 22-round Formula 1 World Championship, Alpha Tauri are eighth in the F1 Constructor's standings seven points behind Williams and five points ahead of AlphaTauri.

In closing, under Tost's watch since Toro Rosso (formerly Minardi) made their F1 debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix, the team have one win (Sebastian Vettel) and two more podiums in the 268 Grand Prix weekends contested.

From 2020 until now including Abu Dhabi, Tost will have led AlphaTauri for 82-GP starts. With two podiums, including Pierre Gasly's 2020 Italian Grand Prix victory.

Drivers who passed through Tost's reign at the Faenza-based team (seldom if ever chosen by him but rather by RBR driver boss Helmut Marko) at the Red Bull junior team were: Alexander Albon, Jaime Alguersuari, Sébastien Bourdais, Sébastien Buemi, Pierre Gasly, Brendon Hartley, Daniil Kvyat, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, Scott Speed, Jean-Éric Vergne, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel