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AlphaTauri AT04
AlphaTauri AT04
AlphaTauri AT04
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AlphaTauri AT04
Nyck de Vries driving an AT04 during the Austrian Grand Prix.
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorAlphaTauri
DesignersJody Egginton (Technical Director)
Paolo Marabini (Chief Designer – Composites and Structures)
Trygve Rangen (Chief Designer – Mechanical and Systems)
Guillaume Dezoteux (Head of Vehicle Performance)
Dickon Balmforth (Head of Aerodynamics)
Peter Machin (Chief Aerodynamicist)
PredecessorAlphaTauri AT03
SuccessorRB VCARB 01
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon-fibre monocoque and Halo safety cockpit protection device
Suspension (front)Scuderia AlphaTauri/Red Bull Technology carbon composite wishbones and upright assemblies with pushrod-operated inboard torsion bars and dampers
Suspension (rear)Red Bull Technology carbon composite wishbones with pushrod-operated inboard torsion bars and dampers
EngineHonda RBPTH001[1]
1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection (jointly developed and supplied by Honda and Hitachi Astemo) V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 rpm in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout
Electric motorHonda kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
TransmissionRed Bull Technology sequential gearbox with eight forward and one reverse gears, longitudinally mounted with hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation and limited-slip differential
FuelEsso Synergy [note 1]
LubricantsRavenol
BrakesBrembo 6-piston aluminium-lithium calipers, Brembo carbon discs and carbon pads
TyresPirelli P Zero (dry)
Pirelli Cinturato (wet)
ClutchHydraulically-activated carbon multiplate
Competition history
Notable entrantsScuderia AlphaTauri
Notable drivers
Debut2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last event2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
220001

The AlphaTauri AT04 is a Formula One car constructed by Scuderia AlphaTauri for the 2023 Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda up to the 2023 British Grand Prix, then Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo from the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix onwards with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri reserve driver Liam Lawson also driving the car from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix to the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix after Ricciardo broke a bone in his hand in the second free practice session of the Dutch event requiring Lawson to replace him.[2][3][4] The AT04 is the fourth and final chassis built and designed by AlphaTauri and was unveiled on 11 February 2023 in New York City.[5][6][7] The car also marked the return of Honda as a named engine supplier to Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, with both teams' engines badged as Honda RBPT.[8]

Season summary

[edit]

First 10 races

[edit]

The AT04 appeared to be off the pace during testing and practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix with Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries qualifying 14th and 19th for the race respectively. de Vries finished 14th, whilst Tsunoda just missed out on the points with 11th place. At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix de Vries and Tsunoda qualified 18th and 16th and finished the race 14th and 11th again respectively. The car got its first points of the season in Australia with Tsunoda being classified 10th after Carlos Sainz's penalty for colliding with Fernando Alonso at the lap 57 restart. de Vries however was taken out at the restart by fellow rookie Logan Sargeant. Tsunoda qualified 8th for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix whilst de Vries crashed before he could set a time during the session. The cars qualified at the back for the sprint race; during this race Tsunoda hit the wall receiving a puncture (after a collision with de Vries damaged his steering slightly) ending his chance for a good result and de Vries lacked pace all race. in the main race de Vries crashed at turn 5 on lap 10 ending his race whilst Tsunoda scored another point with 10th place moving AlphaTauri up to 9th in the Constructors' Championship.[9]

The next 2 races would consist of 18th for de Vries and 11th for Tsunoda in Miami and 12th and 15th for de Vries and Tsunoda respectively in Monaco. At the next race in Spain de Vries would qualify 14th and Tsunoda qualified 15th. During the race de Vries would finish 14th whilst Tsunoda finished 9th but lost the points due to a time penalty for forcing Zhou Guanyu off track late in the race (he was classified 12th). Both cars were eliminated in Q1 in Canada, Tsunoda finished 14th and de Vries finished 18th and last of the runners. Due to Alex Albon's 7th-place finish, the team fell back to last in the Constructors' Championship.

Tsunoda at the Austrian Grand Prix

Both drivers were eliminated in Q1 at the Austrian Grand Prix and both were eliminated in SQ2 and Tsunoda and de Vries finished 16th and 17th in the sprint respectively. In the main race both drivers got a large amounts of penalties for track limits with Tsunoda getting 15 seconds worth of penalties and de Vries also receiving a 15 second time penalty for track limits and a 5 second time penalty for forcing Kevin Magnussen off track during the race leading to 17th place for De Vries and 19th place for Tsunoda. Tsunoda qualified 16th and De Vries qualified 18th for the British Grand Prix, the race wouldn't go any better as the Tsunoda and De Vries finished 16th and 17th respectively.

After the first 10 races AlphaTauri were 10th in the Constructors' Championship with 2 points all scored by Tsunoda who was 17th in the Drivers' Championship whilst de Vries sat 20th and last having scored no points during the 10 races he had competed in.

Hungary and Belgium: a driver change and a return to points

[edit]

Due to his poor results and failure to score during the first 10 races De Vries was dismissed by the team. Daniel Ricciardo who had raced for the team when it was known as Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 was chosen to replace de Vries for the rest of the season. The change came ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Ricciardo on his return to F1 qualified 13th whilst Tsunoda qualified 17th. In the race Riccardo was rear ended by Zhou Guanyu causing him to smash into Esteban Ocon leading to a multi car collision. Despite the incident which left him in last place Ricciardo finished 13th beating Tsunoda who finished 15th.

Tsunoda qualified 11th for the Belgian Grand Prix whilst Ricciardo qualified 19th after having his lap deleted for track limits. Sprint qualifying was a reverse of fortunes as Riccardo qualified 11th whilst Tsunoda qualified 16th. Tsunoda finished the sprint 18th whilst Riccardo just missed out on points in 10th place. In the race Ricciardo had a disappointing day finishing 16th whilst Tsunoda finished 10th scoring the AT04's first points since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April. AlphaTauri ended the first half of the season 10th in the Constructors' Championship with three points.

Netherlands to Qatar: another driver change and results improve

[edit]

At the Dutch Grand Prix Ricciardo suffered a crash during FP2 trying to avoid Oscar Piastri's crashed car at turn 3. During the accident the steering wheel of his car snapped on his hand with Ricciardo in pain when he got out the car forcing Ricciardo to go to the medical centre. Later the medical centre tests showed Ricciardo had broken a metacarpal bone in his hand forcing him to miss the next few races. Liam Lawson was chosen to replace Ricciardo until he was fit to return.

Lawson qualified 20th and last for his debut qualifying. Tsunoda qualified 14th. During the race Lawson had a wheel-to-wheel battle with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and also overtook Max Verstappen to unlap himself. Tsunoda during the race had contact with George Russell earning a penalty dropping him to 15th whilst Lawson finished his first race 13th place.

At the team's home grand prix at Monza Tsunoda qualified 11th and Lawson 12th, however Tsunoda didn't start the race due to an engine failure on the formation lap; the second time he failed to start the race at Monza. Lawson however in his second race just missed out on the points in 11th-place finishing, 6 seconds behind 10th-place finisher Valtteri Bottas.

Tsunoda qualified 15th for the Singapore Grand Prix whilst Lawson qualified 10th, most notably knocking championship leader and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen out of qualifying which meant neither Red Bull car made Q3 for the first time since the 2018 Russian Grand Prix. Tsunoda got taken out on lap one of the race by Sergio Pérez whilst Lawson scored his first points by finishing 9th which was the team's highest finish at that point of the season.

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix the team announced that Ricciardo and Tsunoda would drive for the team in 2024, with Lawson being the team's reserve driver.

Tsunoda qualified 9th for his home Grand Prix in Japan with Lawson qualifying 11th. Lawson finished the race 11th ahead of Tsunoda who finished 12th. Lawson qualified 18th for the Qatar Grand Prix whilst Tsunoda qualified 11th. Lawson qualified 14th and Tsunoda qualified 18th for the sprint. Lawson spun out of the sprint on lap 1 and Tsunoda finished 11th. Tsunoda finished 15th whilst Lawson finished 17th and last of the runners during the main race. AlphaTauri ended these 5 races last in the Constructors' Championship with 5 points.

Closing rounds: USA to Abu Dhabi

[edit]

Ricciardo returned to the team for the United States Grand Prix so Lawson went back to his reserve driver role. Ricciardo qualified 15th with Tsunoda qualifying 11th for the race. In sprint qualifying Ricciardo qualified 11th and Tsunoda qualified 19th. The sprint saw Ricciardo end up 12th and Tsunoda end up 14th. in the main race Ricciardo struggled to 15th place but Tsunoda finished 10th with the fastest lap securing two points. Tsunoda then would be promoted to eighth place after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified for their skid blocks being worn, the three extra points allowed AlphaTauri to close up to Haas and Alfa Romeo in the fight for 8th in the Constructors' Championship as they sat one point behind their rivals.

Ricciardo qualified 4th for the Mexico City Grand Prix whilst Tsunoda qualified 15th. During the race, Tsunoda benefitted from the red flag caused by Kevin Magnussen's crash to move into the top 10 but made a mistake trying to pass Oscar Piastri, spinning off at turn 1 and throwing away an 8th-place finish, Ricciardo finished 7th marking the team's best finish of the season. The result moved the team up into 8th in the Constructors' Championship, leaping ahead of Haas and drawing level on points with Alfa Romeo. During FP1 to fulfill the regulations of a rookie driver having experience of driving an F1 car, F2 driver and Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar took Tsunoda's place for the session where he finished 17th fastest, second highest of the rookies driving in the session.

The team had a poor qualifying session for the final sprint weekend at São Paulo qualifying 16th and 17th. Both cars made Q3 for the sprint with Tsunoda finishing 6th after a brilliant overtake on the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton whilst Ricciardo finished 9th. During the race Ricciardo's rear wing was damaged in a start line crashing involving Alex Albon, Kevin Magnussen, Oscar Piastri and himself. Ricciardo despite being able to stay in the race had no pace due to the damage finishing a lap down on the field. Meanwhile, Tsunoda finished 9th securing two more points. This allowed the team to extend their lead over Alfa Romeo in the fight for 8th in the Constructors' Championship and close up to 7th placed Williams sitting 7 points behind the Grove outfit. The drivers had a poor weekend at the first ever Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying 20th and 15th, Ricciardo finished 15th and Tsunoda retired with gearbox problems. Ricciardo qualified 15th whilst Tsunoda qualified 6th for the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The team needed a minimum of 6th place to take 7th in the Constructors' Championship off Williams. Riccardo had a hard race finishing 11th whilst Tsunoda led the race for three laps but his one stop strategy failed to work and he just about held off Lewis Hamilton for 8th place in the race which secured AlphaTauri 8th in the Constructors' Championship in their last season in F1.

AlphaTauri finished 2023 8th in the Constructors' Championship with 25 points. Tsunoda finished 14th in the Drivers' Championship with 17 points, Ricciardo was 17th with 6 points, Lawson finished 20th with 2 points and Nyck de Vries came 22nd with 0 points.

Complete Formula One results

[edit]
Key
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Superscript
number 		Points-scoring position
in sprint
Year Entrant Power unit Tyres Driver name Grands Prix Points WCC pos.
BHR SAU AUS AZE MIA MON ESP CAN AUT GBR HUN BEL NED ITA SIN JPN QAT USA MXC SAP LVG ABU
2023 Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda RBPTH001 P Japan Yuki Tsunoda 11 11 10 10 11 15 12 14 19 16 15 10 15 DNS Ret 12 15 8F 12 96 18† 8 25 8th
Netherlands Nyck de Vries 14 14 15† Ret 18 12 14 18 17 17
Australia Daniel Ricciardo 13 16 WD 15 7 13 14 11
New Zealand Liam Lawson 13 11 9 11 17
References:[10][11]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

AlphaTauri AT04

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from Grokipedia
The AlphaTauri AT04 is a Formula 1 racing car designed and constructed by the Scuderia AlphaTauri team for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, featuring a ground-effect aerodynamic package as mandated by the sport's regulations. Powered by the Honda RBPTH001 hybrid 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged power unit—developed and supplied by Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Honda—the AT04 utilized a carbon composite monocoque chassis with push-rod front suspension and pull-rod rear suspension derived from Red Bull Racing technology. The car weighed 798 kg including the driver but excluding fuel, and was equipped with an 8-speed semi-automatic longitudinal gearbox housed in a carbon maincase. Unveiled in renderings during a launch event in New York on 11 February 2023, the AT04 represented an evolutionary development of its predecessor, the AT03, with refinements to the floor tunnels for enhanced , a slimmer nose profile, and depressed side pontoons to optimize airflow under the ground-effect rules. It conducted its initial shakedown at Misano World Circuit on 14 February, driven by and , ahead of pre-season testing in . The livery retained the team's signature blue, red, and white colors, accented by sponsor branding from Visa and . The 2023 season saw the AT04 fielded by a rotating driver lineup amid performance challenges and injuries: Tsunoda raced all 22 rounds, de Vries competed in the first 10 before replacement by Daniel Ricciardo, who drove rounds 11–12 and 18–22 after recovering from a hand injury, with Liam Lawson stepping in for rounds 13–17. Early in the year, the car exhibited strong straight-line speed but suffered from insufficient cornering grip and overall downforce, resulting in just two points after the first 11 races and placing the team last in the constructors' standings. Mid-season upgrades, including a major aero package at the British Grand Prix featuring a revised floor with raised leading edges, modified diffuser sidewalls, and a redesigned rear wing for better efficiency, began to yield improvements. Further refinements to the rear bodywork from the Singapore Grand Prix onward aligned more closely with Red Bull's RB19 design, enabling a late-season surge where the team scored 20 of its total 25 points in the final five races, ultimately finishing eighth in the constructors' championship. Tsunoda's eighth-place finish and fastest lap at the United States Grand Prix highlighted the car's progress, though it had cockpit sizing issues that particularly affected taller drivers like de Vries and Ricciardo.

Background and development

Team context and objectives

AlphaTauri, formerly known as Toro Rosso, served as Red Bull's sister team in Formula 1, with a primary emphasis on developing young drivers from the program. Rebranded to ahead of the 2020 season to promote Red Bull's fashion label, the team maintained its Faenza-based operations while continuing to nurture talents such as and in 2023. The team's underwhelming 2022 campaign with the AT03 car, where it finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship with just 35 points, was marred by an overweight chassis and suboptimal aerodynamic performance. These issues stemmed from challenges in adapting to the new ground-effect regulations introduced that year, resulting in inconsistent pace and limited scoring opportunities. Team principal highlighted the car's weight as a core problem, noting that aerodynamic shortcomings further hampered competitiveness. For the 2023 season, AlphaTauri's objectives centered on achieving mid-field competitiveness and maximizing points to secure a top-six finish in the Constructors' Championship. Tost set realistic targets, aiming for consistent results after the initial races in , , and , while acknowledging a top-five position as ambitious but possible. This shift was driven by lessons from the AT03's failures, prompting a philosophy of significant evolution in the AT04 to address weight and aero deficiencies without major regulatory overhauls. Under the leadership of team principal , who had guided the outfit since its Toro Rosso inception in 2006, and technical director Jody Egginton, AlphaTauri focused on internal improvements to elevate its standing as a development platform within the ecosystem. Tost's tenure emphasized long-term driver maturation, often requiring at least three years for rookies to adapt to F1 demands.

Design process and key innovations

The development of the AlphaTauri AT04 began in early 2022, following a disappointing ninth-place finish in the 2022 Constructors' Championship, with the team aiming for a complete reset by designing a largely new that shared only a few components with its predecessor, the AT03. The car was unveiled on February 11, 2023, during an event in New York as part of , featuring renders of the full vehicle alongside the new . This timeline allowed the team to incorporate lessons from the prior season while adhering to the ongoing 2022 ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022. A major challenge in the AT04's creation was adapting to the 2023 FIA regulations, which imposed a sliding scale on wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) testing time based on the previous year's championship position, granting lower-ranked teams like AlphaTauri (ninth in 2022) additional allocation—110% of the baseline, equating to 352 wind tunnel runs and 2200 CFD 3D new RATGs—compared to top teams like Red Bull, which were limited to 70% or 224 runs and 1400 RATGs, as defined in the FIA regulations. The $135 million cost cap further constrained development, requiring careful resource allocation across the team, though all F1 teams, including AlphaTauri, complied with it for 2023. To optimize testing, AlphaTauri leveraged its access to Red Bull Racing's 60% scale wind tunnel facility in Bedford, England, following a transition from its own smaller setup in Bicester, enabling more efficient aero correlation between physical and virtual simulations. This collaboration extended to shared components, such as rear suspension elements tested in wind tunnel phases to refine overall balance. Key innovations in the AT04 focused on enhancing ground-effect aerodynamics under the cost and testing constraints. The floor design was revised early in the season with an initial at the to improve corner-entry stability by optimizing flow management beneath the car, marking the first of five or six planned floor iterations aimed at better exploiting the regulations' emphasis on underbody . Sidepod layout was simplified in later updates, drawing inspiration from 's RB19 philosophy, including a narrower, more undercut design with revised inlets introduced at the to reduce drag and improve cooling efficiency while aligning with sister-team geometries. Rear wing efficiency was targeted through multiple refinements, such as a redesigned medium- configuration at the featuring a more elliptical profile to concentrate load centrally and minimize induced drag, and an extreme endplate interpretation in that efficiently increased without exceeding deflection limits. These changes, validated via iterative CFD and testing in collaboration with , prioritized conceptual aero gains over exhaustive part counts to maximize performance within regulatory bounds.

Technical specifications

Chassis and aerodynamics

The chassis of the AlphaTauri AT04 featured a carbon composite constructed by , incorporating a survival cell derived from technology to meet FIA safety standards. The overall dimensions adhered to the 2023 FIA Technical Regulations, with a maximum bodywork width of 2000 mm and a maximum of 3600 mm, ensuring compliance while optimizing packaging for the ground-effect . Aerodynamic development focused on refining the AT03's layout through wind tunnel testing at Red Bull's Milton Keynes facility, emphasizing improved airflow management around the sidepods and underbody. Key highlights included revisions to the diffuser to enhance rear downforce generation. Adjustments to the front wing flaps provided better aerodynamic balance, particularly in medium- to high-speed corners, addressing the predecessor's sensitivity to setup changes. Specific innovations encompassed elongated sidepod inlets with a shallower, sculpted profile—resembling Ferrari's approach—to minimize drag while maintaining cooling efficiency, alongside a thinner that improved high-pressure over the front suspension. (CFD) simulations contributed to these refinements, though overall grip remained a challenge early in the season. The suspension system utilized a push-rod configuration at both and rear, with front arms designed in-house by AlphaTauri and rear components sourced from Technologies for enhanced synergies. This setup, tuned for stability across varied circuits, featured an upper arm mount at to suppress nose dive under braking and was later updated mid-season with elements from the RB19 to boost traction.

Power unit integration and performance

The AlphaTauri AT04 was equipped with the RBPTH001 power unit, a 1.6-liter, 90-degree V6 turbocharged hybrid engine co-developed by and , featuring direct and a maximum rotational speed of 15,000 rpm. This setup included the standard Energy Recovery System (ERS) components: the Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K) for braking energy recovery and the Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H) integrated with the for exhaust heat recovery, contributing to a combined output of approximately 750 kW (1,000 hp). The power unit weighed 150 kg and was produced under frozen development regulations, emphasizing refinements in reliability and efficiency over raw power gains. Integration of the power unit involved a rear-mounted, longitudinally positioned 8-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox supplied by Red Bull Technology, featuring a carbon fiber main case for weight reduction and durability. The cooling system was designed with shared components from Red Bull, including shallower radiator inlets and revised bodywork to enhance airflow management, particularly optimized for high ambient temperatures encountered in races like the Mexican Grand Prix. Specific upgrades, such as enlarged brake ducts, improved mass flow for disc and caliper cooling in extreme conditions, ensuring stable thermal performance without compromising aerodynamic efficiency. The AT04 utilized Esso Synergy fuel, a 110 RON gasoline formulation, with engine mappings allowing enhanced ERS deployment in overtaking modes to provide temporary power boosts. In performance, the Honda RBPT unit delivered strong straight-line acceleration, benefiting qualifying trims on power-sensitive circuits like , where it supported a P4 grid position. However, the setup exhibited challenges with under low-fuel qualifying conditions, contributing to inconsistent single-lap pace compared to sister team . Reliability was a focal point, with prioritizing durability enhancements that minimized failures; the power unit supported the team's mid-field competitiveness, aided briefly by chassis that further boosted top speeds.

Livery and sponsorship

Livery design

The livery of the AlphaTauri AT04 adopted a predominantly base color accented by white elements, reflecting the fashion-oriented heritage of the AlphaTauri brand. Red highlights were incorporated on the airbox and halo to emphasize the new principal with PKN . This was unveiled at on February 11, 2023, underscoring the team's stylish, apparel-inspired aesthetic. The design evolved from the preceding AT03 with the addition of these red accents for improved sponsor integration, while maintaining overall visual continuity to minimize development costs. Unlike the Toro Rosso era, which featured multiple one-off liveries, the AT04 saw no mid-season modifications beyond sponsor adjustments for . However, a special variant was introduced for the final two races in and , featuring flowing white speed streaks across the bodywork inspired by the AlphaTauri x Brendan Monroe Las Vegas Capsule Collection. Thematic motifs included the bull emblem on the sidepods, reinforcing ties to the broader Red Bull ecosystem. The was executed via vinyl wraps applied directly over the carbon fiber , imposing only a negligible weight penalty of around 1 kg to preserve performance.

Primary sponsors and branding

The AlphaTauri AT04 featured the AlphaTauri as its title sponsor, with prominent logos displayed on the and rear wing to highlight the team's branding as a promotional platform for the Red Bull-owned apparel line. Other major sponsors included Honda, whose power unit branding was placed on the engine cover, reflecting their technical partnership with Red Bull Powertrains for the RBPT001 hybrid system. PKN Orlen served as principal partner, with logos positioned on high-visibility areas such as the halo, rear wing endplates, nose cone, and wheel rims to maximize television exposure during races. Red Bull energy drink motifs appeared on the sidepods and other prominent locations, reinforcing the parent company's global presence. The sponsorship portfolio, which integrated these partners into the car's design, contributed to an estimated total value of €50-70 million for the 2023 season, supporting the team's operations and marketing efforts.

Driver lineup and preparation

Driver selections and changes

The team selected and as their driver lineup for the full 2023 season with the AT04 chassis. , a junior driver, entered his third consecutive year with the team, bringing prior experience from 44 Grand Prix starts across 2021 and 2022. , signed as a , was chosen based on his 2019 title and recent success in the World Championship with Mercedes. 's seat was secured through a one-year contract extension announced in September 2022, while was on a debut-season deal without multi-year commitment. After 10 races, de Vries was replaced by effective from the on July 23, 2023, due to the Dutch driver's lack of points and consistent underperformance relative to expectations. The decision was announced on July 11, 2023, marking Ricciardo's return to the family after five years away, having previously raced for from 2014 to 2018. Ricciardo's selection emphasized his experience and familiarity with Red Bull's development processes, though his contract was short-term for the remainder of the season without long-term guarantees. Ricciardo sustained a metacarpal in his left hand during second practice for the on August 25, 2023, sidelining him and prompting his replacement by reserve driver starting from that event. Lawson, who had served as the team's reserve driver and demonstrated promise in junior series including a third-place finish in the , contested the subsequent five Grands Prix: the , , , , and . Like Ricciardo, Lawson's role carried no long-term contract, positioning him as a temporary . In September 2023, amid the , Tsunoda received a performance-based extension to remain with AlphaTauri through the , reflecting his consistent results and contributions to the team's points tally. Following the , returned to the AlphaTauri seat after recovering from his injury, driving the remaining five races of the .

Pre-season testing

The pre-season testing for the AlphaTauri AT04 took place over three days from February 24 to 26, 2023, at the , marking the only official test session ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season. The team, with drivers and , focused primarily on setup optimization, long-run simulations, and initial aerodynamic evaluations, completing a total of 456 laps combined— the highest mileage among all teams. This equated to approximately 228 laps per driver, providing valuable baseline data for the car's development. On Day 1, de Vries handled the morning session, logging 85 laps to gather early setup data, while Tsunoda took over in the afternoon for 46 laps, emphasizing baseline configurations and short runs. Day 2 saw the team achieve the day's highest lap count with 159 combined, as Tsunoda ran in the morning (focusing on medium-stint setups) and de Vries in the afternoon (prioritizing long runs to assess tire wear and race pace). Tsunoda's best time of the test, 1:31.261, came on Day 3 during the morning session, where the team continued refining setups, followed by de Vries' afternoon runs totaling around 166 laps for the day across both drivers. Initial impressions highlighted handling challenges, particularly low-speed understeer in high-speed corners, which reduced front-end bite during braking and turning, reminiscent of prior-season weaknesses. However, the team noted promising aero correlation from data, with the car showing improved balance by the final day through setup adjustments, allowing for more consistent pace on softer compounds. In comparisons, the AT04 demonstrated mid-pack competitiveness, trailing the pacesetting Mercedes and Ferrari in outright speed but outperforming Williams in overall balance and long-run stability; de Vries ranked second in total laps behind Aston Martin's . Reliability was strong throughout, with no major stoppages reported, enabling the full run program and positive execution feedback from both drivers.

Season summary

Early season: Bahrain to Canada

The AlphaTauri AT04 encountered significant challenges at the start of the 2023 season, with the team struggling to extract competitive performance from the car in the opening rounds due to aerodynamic shortcomings and excessive weight. In the on March 5, qualified 14th and finished 12th, setting the eighth-fastest lap but missing out on points by a narrow margin, while qualified 19th and ended 17th after a recovery drive hampered by setup issues. Team principal highlighted setup difficulties in the hot desert conditions, attributing the car's lack of pace to insufficient and balance issues that hindered grip in high temperatures. The produced similar results, with Tsunoda qualifying 8th but crashing out on lap 6, and de Vries starting 17th to end 14th, as the AT04 continued to lag in straight-line speed and cornering stability compared to midfield rivals like Williams and . Brake cooling problems began to surface in these hot climates, though both drivers completed the race without retirement where applicable. The team achieved its first point of the season in , where Tsunoda qualified 10th, recovered to 9th for one point, and de Vries retired on lap 44 due to a power unit issue. Progress was modest in subsequent races, including the where Tsunoda qualified 12th and finished 10th for another point via strategic tire management, aided by a , but de Vries retired on lap 9 after clipping the wall at Turn 13, sustaining front-left suspension damage from a separate incident. At , Tsunoda finished 12th from 11th on the grid, while de Vries ended 17th from 18th, with the car showing improved reliability but still lacking grip in low-speed corners. The AT04 demonstrated consistent Q2 progression in qualifying—reaching the top-15 segment in seven of the first nine events—but suffered a persistent pace deficit of around 0.3-0.5 seconds per lap to direct competitors. The team faced further setbacks in , where Tsunoda qualified 9th but finished 11th after traffic issues, and de Vries ended 17th from 16th, with de Vries also suffering a practice session incident due to overheating. highlighted ongoing cooling deficiencies in variable conditions, as Tsunoda dropped from 9th to 15th in the closing stages from overheating, while de Vries delivered 12th from 17th, just outside the points. In , Tsunoda crossed the line 10th but received a five-second penalty for track limits, demoting him to 12th and costing a point, with de Vries finishing 16th after qualifying 20th. Grand Prix concluded the period with Tsunoda in 14th from 12th and de Vries 18th from 17th, amid ongoing struggles with low-speed corner grip on the street circuit. Overall, AlphaTauri scored just two points across these nine races, underscoring a qualifying pace gap to midfield foes and reliability hits from issues and power units in hot venues, leading to three retirements.

Mid-season: Driver transitions and resurgence

The mid-season period for marked a pivotal shift, beginning with the termination of Nyck de Vries's tenure following poor performances culminating at the on July 23 (race 12). De Vries, who had scored no points in 12 races, qualified 20th after a Q1 crash and retired from the race on lap 18 due to a power unit issue, finishing last in P20. Teammate , starting from P12, gained positions early but faded on a suboptimal strategy, crossing the line in P12 without points. This result underscored de Vries's inability to extract performance from the AT04, prompting to announce his replacement by effective for the (race 13). Ricciardo's debut at the on July 30 brought renewed attention, though initial results were tempered by the AT04's limitations. Starting from P11, Ricciardo finished P8 on a two-stop strategy, earning four points, while Tsunoda qualified 7th and finished 12th after a spin. This haul marked the team's best result since . Improved tire management was evident compared to earlier races, where the AT04 had suffered excessive degradation. At the (race 14), Ricciardo crashed heavily in FP2 on August 25 at , fracturing his left metacarpal and sidelining him for the next five races (Dutch to ). debuted for the main race at on August 27, starting 9th and finishing 9th for two points despite a late . Tsunoda qualified 14th and finished 12th after contact. Lawson's debut highlighted his adaptation, with team principal noting valuable feedback aiding setup development and reducing understeer. Lawson continued at the (race 15), qualifying 18th and finishing 12th in a chaotic race marred by rain and red flags, while Tsunoda started 7th and ended 9th for two points. The substitution period saw mid-season upgrades, including aero refinements, begin to yield gains, with the team scoring eight points from to —a improvement from the prior period—driven by Ricciardo's early input and Lawson's consistency amid ongoing challenges like tire longevity.

Late season: Singapore to Abu Dhabi

The late season for AlphaTauri featured Liam Lawson's continued stint through the (race 18), following Daniel Ricciardo's injury. At the (race 16) on September 17, Lawson started 18th and finished 9th for two points on debut at the night circuit, demonstrating composure amid strategy challenges. Tsunoda, starting 9th, finished 12th after traffic issues. Lawson retained the seat for the at Suzuka (race 17) on September 24, where he qualified 13th and finished 12th after a recovery drive affected by a first-lap incident, with Tsunoda ending 11th from 10th, yielding no points in home conditions for . The on October 8 proved challenging, with Lawson finishing 17th after a five-place grid penalty and pit issues, and Tsunoda 16th from 15th, scoring zero points on the high-speed circuit amid tire management demands. These races demonstrated Lawson's adaptation to the AT04 but highlighted setup struggles. Over his five races, Lawson scored four points with a P9 in . Ricciardo returned for the (race 19) in Austin on October 22, qualifying 15th (after FP1 issues) and finishing 15th in the main race, while Tsunoda started 12th and ended 12th; the team scored one point from Tsunoda's P10 in the sprint. The Mexican Grand Prix (race 20) on delivered strong results, with Tsunoda scoring four points for P8 in the main race via benefits and P6 in the sprint (two points), while Ricciardo finished P10 for one point despite a back-of-grid start, totaling seven points. This underscored the AT04's gains on high-altitude tracks. At the Brazilian Grand Prix (race 21) on November 5, Ricciardo qualified 14th and finished 13th, while Tsunoda's P9 earned two points in wet conditions at . The Las Vegas Grand Prix (race 22) on November 18 yielded no points, with Tsunoda retiring on lap 8 after contact and Ricciardo on lap 39 from damage. The season concluded at the (race 23) on November 26, where Tsunoda qualified 6th, led briefly, and finished 8th for four points, with his fastest lap. Ricciardo, starting 11th, ended 12th. AlphaTauri's late season from yielded 21 of its total 25 constructors' points, finishing 8th in the , surpassing Haas by 13 points through consistent scoring in the and finale, bolstered by upgrades aligning closer to Red Bull's design.

Performance and results

Complete race results

The complete race results for the team with the AT04 during the 2023 FIA , encompassing all 22 Grands Prix (including sprint formats where applicable), are detailed in the table below. Qualifying and race positions are listed, with points including any earned in sprint races (, , , and ) and fastest lap bonus. DNF reasons are noted where relevant. No pole positions were achieved by AlphaTauri drivers, though set the fastest lap at the .
Grand PrixPole PositionFastest LapTsunoda (Q/R/Points)Second Driver (Q/R/Points)Team Points
VerstappenPérez14/11/0De Vries 19/12/00
PérezVerstappen16/11/0De Vries 20/17/00
VerstappenVerstappen12/10/1De Vries 15/15/01
PérezPérez10/10/1De Vries 12/DNF (collision)/01
VerstappenSainz11/17/0De Vries 18/15/00
VerstappenHamilton9/15/0De Vries 12/12/00
VerstappenVerstappen15/15/0De Vries 14/14/00
CanadaVerstappenVerstappen16/14/0De Vries 18/17/00
Austria (Sprint)VerstappenVerstappen19/16/0 (sprint 12/0)De Vries 17/20/0 (sprint 15/DNF collision/0)0
VerstappenHamilton16/16/0De Vries 17/18/00
VerstappenVerstappen15/17/0Ricciardo 11/20/00
VerstappenVerstappen10/10/1Ricciardo 12/12/01
VerstappenVerstappen15/15/0Lawson 18/13/00
VerstappenVerstappen11/13/0Lawson 18/11/00
SainzSainz9/DNF (collision)/0Lawson 13/9/22
VerstappenVerstappen12/9/2Lawson 17/17/02
(Sprint)VerstappenVerstappen15/11/0 (sprint 12/0)Lawson 12/DNF (collision)/0 (sprint 11/0)0
(Sprint)VerstappenTsunoda10/4/8 (sprint 4/4 + FL 1)Ricciardo 15/15/0 (sprint 10/0)8
MexicoVerstappenVerstappen13/12/0Ricciardo 8/7/66
Brazil (Sprint)VerstappenNorris17/9/2 (sprint 15/0)Ricciardo 4/DNF (collision)/0 (sprint 10/0)2
LeclercNorris17/12/0Ricciardo 14/14/00
VerstappenVerstappen6/8/4Ricciardo 11/11/04
Season totals: Tsunoda 17 points; De Vries 0 points; Ricciardo 6 points; Lawson 2 points; Constructors' position 8th with 25 points.

Statistical overview and achievements

The AT04 campaign in the 2023 Formula 1 season yielded a total of 25 points, securing eighth place in the Constructors' Championship. This marked an improvement in relative positioning compared to , when the team scored 35 points but finished ninth overall. The points haul was heavily weighted toward the latter part of the season, with 20 of the 25 accumulated from the onward, reflecting significant development progress that elevated the AT04 from one of the grid's slowest cars to competitive midfield package by . Yuki Tsunoda contributed the majority of the team's points with 17, finishing 14th in the Drivers' Championship after 22 starts, including five top-10 race finishes. His standout qualifying performance was sixth place at the . , in five substitute appearances, added the remaining two points with a ninth-place finish at the —his maiden Formula 1 points and the first for a Lawson drive that year—ending 20th in the standings. Lawson scored in one of his five races, demonstrating promise despite limited opportunities. Key achievements included the team's late-season resurgence, which allowed it to overtake for eighth in the constructors' standings after starting the year in 10th. Tsunoda's consistency against rotating teammates—outqualifying 8-2, Lawson 5-0, and 5-2—highlighted individual growth amid the AT04's challenges. Ricciardo's brief stint yielded six points, including a seventh-place finish in , but was hampered by injury.
DriverRacesPointsBest FinishTop-10 FinishesBest Qualifying
22174th ()56th ()
10012th ()012th ()
767th ()14th ( sprint)
529th ()113th ()
This table summarizes driver contributions, underscoring Tsunoda's role as the primary scorer while illustrating the AT04's midfield competitiveness in select events.

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