Tost wants Gasly & Kvyat to stay in 2020

Franz Tost says he wants Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat to remain at Toro Rosso in 2020.

The Faenza based team will be renamed AlphaTauri next year, after Red Bull's fashion brand.

But team boss Tost says he is happy to keep the driver lineup the same in 2020, even though Gasly is hoping to return to Red Bull Racing.

Russian Kvyat also returned to Toro Rosso this year, having been similarly demoted by Red Bull and spending 2018 as a Ferrari test driver.

"They make my life easier because they already know a lot," Toro Rosso boss Tost told France's Auto Hebdo.

"I do not have to teach them. Maybe they went to Red Bull a little too early. I often say that my ideal is to work with drivers over a three year period.

"It was not an easy situation for either of them.

"We'll see what Red Bull decides for next year. Both of them are very fast and we are very satisfied with their work.

"Personally, I hope that Daniil and Pierre will continue with us in 2020. The choice should be announced after Mexico," he added.

Tost said Frenchman Gasly quickly readjusted to life at Toro Rosso.

"In Pierre's case it was different (to Kvyat) because he did not leave us for very long. I saw him in my office in the summer and I told him 'I feel like you left yesterday'.

"Daniil was with Red Bull for longer but in both cases they quickly found their bearings again with the team and the car."

When asked if the pressure of a top team was too great for Gasly, Tost answered: "It's difficult for me to say because I was not there.

"Maybe he was not comfortable with the behaviour of the car. He also had two accidents in the winter and that hurt his confidence.

"But in a world like Formula 1, you must have a mind of steel, especially when you are facing Max Verstappen," Tost added.

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