Jean-Eric Vergne says Daniel Ricciardo fight not all-consuming
Jean-Eric Vergne insists Toro Rosso's intra-team battle is not his primary focus and that he will not be satisfied simply by beating stablemate Daniel Ricciardo
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said both men have a genuine shot at a future Red Bull seat provided they impress over the 2013 Formula 1 campaign.
While Vergne has scored the team's only point so far, finishing 10th at Sepang, he insists beating Ricciardo is far from an all-consuming objective.
"People want to make out that there is a big fight," he said. "I don't care. I'm here to do my job and get the best result for the team.
"If I can be the driver that picks up the best result then I definitely want to be this driver and I will do everything for this.
"If we have the worst car though and always finish 17th or 18th every weekend I will not be happy at all.
"[In Australia] I was in front of Daniel after qualifying, but I was really pissed off and sad that I didn't make it through into Q3.
"The [intra-team] fight isn't enough for me; I want better performances."
Vergne added that he is confident the team can challenge for points on a more regular basis as the season progresses.
Toro Rosso set a target of finishing sixth in the constructors' championship when it launched the STR8 in February.
"The pace and performance of the car is good," he said.
"There are a few things we need to improve inside the team and on the car and hopefully we can improve this really quickly.
"[In Australia] I got the second fastest lap, I was much quicker than the guys in front. That was a positive - the car was looking pretty good."
Charles Pic insists he has no regrets over Caterham F1 move
The Williams Dynasty
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix