Neither Jaime
Alguersuari nor Sebastien Buemi could haul the Ferrari
V8-powered Toro Rosso STR6 anywhere near a points paying
place at the Nürburgring yesterday afternoon, ending its
four race long summer points scoring streak and costing
the Red Bull-owned Italian team its seventh place
standing in the constructors' championship.
Buemi was forced
to start from the back of the grid in yesterday's German
Grand Prix at the Nürburgring after his fuel sample
failed an FIA test post-qualifying and although he made
a lightening start a puncture following a clash with the
Renault of Nick Heidfeld compromised the Swiss driver's
race strategy and he eventually came home in an
unrewarding fifteenth place. Team mate Alguersuari was
also off the top ten pace and he eventually took the
chequered flag three places ahead of Buemi.
No points in
Germany yesterday keeps the team from Faenza rooted on
17 points and brings its point scoring run to an end. A
rosy afternoon for Force India however moves the
Mercedes-powered British team onto 20 points and above
Toro Rosso in the constructors' standings with the
Italian outfit dropping to eighth place. Ninth placed
Williams-Cosworth has just four points.
Jaime Alguersuari (STR6-01)
Pos. 12th
"That race was not bad and I
feel we did a good job, given where we started on the
grid. However, our pace was not as good as at Valencia
or Silverstone and I was struggling a bit under braking.
On the plus side, our strategy was good and the team
worked well at the pit stops. At least we finished ahead
of one of the Force India cars, so now all we can do is
look forward to starting work again in a few days in
Budapest, where I hope we can return to scoring points."
Sebastien Buemi (STR6-04) Pos.
15th
"Unfortunately, I had rain
settings and the rain never came, so it was not the best
set-up for the race. I had quite a good start, passing
several cars. Unfortunately after that, Heidfeld drove
into me at the chicane and I got a puncture on my right
rear. So I had to pit and change tyres, which
compromised our strategy even more and with no rain,
that was really it. It has been a disappointing weekend
in which we cannot be satisfied with our performance,
therefore all we can do is look ahead to the Hungarian
Grand Prix and at least we don’t have long to wait for
that."
Franz Tost (Team Principal)
"The Nürburgring does not seem
to be a Toro Rosso track. Yesterday, we had a problem
with Sebastien, when his post-qualifying fuel sample did
not match the one supplied to the FIA, as it got
contaminated when we changed the fuel pressure system
after it caused problems on Friday. This meant he had to
start from the back of the grid. However, he made a good
start, moving up six places on the opening lap to be
eighteenth. Then he had an incident with Heidfeld, which
punctured his right rear tyre, so he had to pit, which
forced us to change his strategy. From then on, he was
always running around position 15 where he eventually
finished the race. Adding to his difficulties, his car
had been set up yesterday in anticipation of a wet race,
but unfortunately for him it stayed dry. Jaime drove a
good race, with a reasonable start, making up two places
in the opening moments to lie fourteenth. He defended
well, producing good lap times, even on the Prime tyre,
moving up to twelfth at the flag, which was the best we
could hope for."
