Skip to content

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost has been a familiar face in the Formula One paddock since he joined BMW Motorsport as track operations manager back in 2000. His current tenure began immediately after Red Bull bought Minardi ahead the 2006 championship.

Since then he has experienced his fair share of highs and lows, and earlier this season we caught up with the Austrian to discover a little about his philosophy for running one of the youngest teams on the grid…

Q: Best part of being a team principal?
Franz Tost: In the short time I have been a team principal, I have yet to experience anything that could be considered ‘best’.

Q: The most annoying?
FT: Not finishing races.

Q: Running a Formula One team is like…
FT:…knitting fog!

Q: What would you be if you weren’t a team principal?
FT: I would hold a management role in motorsport.

Q: The first thing I do after a race is…
FT:…talk to the media.

Q: Winning a race would mean…
FT: …we have achieved our first target as a young team.

Q: What is your favourite place to relax?
FT: Bed.

Q: Funniest thing you've read about yourself in the press?
FT: Fortunately, the press don’t find me very interesting.

Q: The most difficult decision you have had to make as a team principal?
FT: Getting rid of a driver.

Q: Best time during a race weekend?
FT: Just before the start of a Grand Prix and the first lap.

Q: Formula One racing and politics is like…
FT: …like bacon and eggs - they always go together.

Q: Your best moment as a team principal?
FT: I hope the best is yet to come.

Q: Something you always wanted to do but never had the time?
FT: Heli-skiing.

Q: How was your first race as a team principal?
FT: It was in Bahrain in 2006. It was a good race as the first race for Toro Rosso. It was a new team, new drivers, first time the season had started in Bahrain and we got both cars to the flag in 11th and 13th places.

Q: Who would you like to be for one day? And why?
FT: My mother’s dog, because he has a great life, just sleeping, eating and walking.

Q: Does money change everything?
FT: I’ll tell you when I have some!