AlphaTauri: Aero development not heavily controlled by tokens

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula 1 introduced a token system aimed at cutting costs in the lead up to the new technical regulations which are set to come into force in 2022.

Additionally, F1 has brought in a $145 million cost cap and made tweaks to the regulations surrounding the floor area in an attempt to reduce the downforce generated.

Each team was given two development tokens to use in order to update their 2020 car but Egginton does not believe they will prove to be the primary determinant of the final standings.

"At the end of the day, aerodynamics are still not heavily controlled by tokens," he told Motorsport.com.

"You could elect to do a new nose, but a nose is not going to make or break your aerodynamic concept when nearly every other aspect apart from the rearward part of the floor of the regulations is the same.

"You could fiddle with the chassis a bit. I guess everyone other than McLaren is keeping the same PU, so their tokens go into integrating all of that. They've got to get that power unit to fit. I'm sure there's compromise and reward in there for them, so what that will do for them in detail, I don't know.

"No, I don't think the tokens are a differentiator on aerodynamic concept, and it's aero that's still king. Everyone will use their tokens for something, but I don't think that's the key differentiator to decide the order."

AlphaTauri secured their first race win since 2008 last season, with Pierre Gasly winning a dramatic Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and finished seventh in the constructors' championship.

Looking ahead to the new season, Egginton said that AlphaTauri are aiming for a top-five finish and admitted that another close midfield was likely.

"I expect a very close midfield again, but I don't know the order," he added.

"I wasn't even prepared to tell anyone the order last winter, to be honest. We know our targets, we think if we achieve them, we'll be in the mix. The target is to get in the top five. If we can make the same step we made this year to last year, I think that's what we've got to do.

"But obviously with the regulation changes on the rearward floor to limit downforce, we've got a bit more work to do. It's not just more of the same, it's more of the same and a few changes to recover from.

"Unless someone makes a mistake, it should be tight. Hopefully it's not us making the mistake."