Jody Egginton (AlphaTauri): “The whole team is obviously disappointed”

Not really the race you were expecting in your garden at Imola?

No, actually! The race was eventful and although we scored a few points with Pierre (gasly, 8th. Editor's note), we have to be honest with ourselves and admit that we have made our lives more difficult than they should have been and that we have not recovered the points that the package was capable of scoring. The whole team is obviously disappointed and we will review the race together tomorrow in an open and pragmatic manner, and address various subjects that will allow us to deliver a better performance at the next Grand Prix.

What exactly were you hoping for?

The objective was to put both cars in the points. To do this, Yuki had to be brought back (tsunoda. Editor's note) as quickly as possible in the Top 10, even if it is quite difficult to overtake here. As for Pierre, he had to maximize his position. It's a track that punishes mistakes and we expected the safety car to come on track. This is what actually happened, without working in our favor.

Because of the choice of Rain tires at the start?

Pierre, who started 5th, found himself in distress as the trajectory dried up. The red flag allowed him to move up to 8th place overall, but that's not what we were hoping for. As for Yuki, it's a shame he spun after the red flag, because his pace was pretty good. It was the first time he piloted a F1 in the wet and the experience will be useful for the future. It was also a great opportunity for him to better understand how the tires work in different conditions. Points were undoubtedly possible for him, but it is a necessary learning process.

Didn't Yuki confuse speed and haste this weekend? Shouldn't he take a step back?

Yuki got a little too excited, a little too greedy in Q1 and put the car into the wall. No doubt he would have had his place in Q3 if he had been at the end of the session. Honestly, he didn't do anything stupid. His lap was ok until he went into the chicane a little too hard and lost the car. It is fair to say that he had been quite measured over the winter and in Bahrain. It's one of those things that happens to young drivers early in their career. He could have taken a little more leeway, but that’s also part of learning…

Discover the full report of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, and the entire interview with Jody Egginton, in issue 2308 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version and on newsstands.