Alex Albon believes a lack of upgrades is the main issue impacting Toro Rosso in Formula 1’s midfield fight.
The Thai driver started well with three top 10s in the first six races, but hasn’t scored a point since Monaco and dropped down to 12th in the closing laps at Silverstone having run ninth for much of the race.
Currently, Toro Rosso sit tied-seventh in the Constructors, level with Racing Point, but Albon admits keeping pace with those around has been a problem.
“It hasn’t been an easy couple of races for us, I think a mixture of balance issues and others progressing. It’s been quite difficult for us,” he said.
“We know the problem and the areas we need to work on, it’s not like we are lost in the performances so we will keep trying.”
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The controversial Pirelli tyres have been a key performance differentiator this season, but the former F2 racer doesn’t think the junior Red Bull team has been too disadvantaged.
“To be honest as a team I think we have been quite ok with tyres. We are coping with it well I think,” Albon explained.
“I think our race-pace is always pretty OK, our short-run pace as well isn’t bad. We are not running into regular tyre issues like Haas. It’s not more difficult than last year I wouldn’t say.
“We’ve got some more upgrades coming later on, that’s kind of what we need,” he added.
“Right now we see, we speak about it all year but this midfield is very close, so any upgrade we get, like even one-tenth is worth two or three positions. They can’t come quick enough.”
Albon has also been setback by recent engine penalties, although he played down their significance.
“I think it didn’t help the issue but I don’t think we would have been much more competitive than we were,” he conceded.