Jean-Eric Vergne has told Autosport he has dismissed his intra-team rivalry at Toro Rosso with Daniel Ricciardo, saying he craves bigger challenges.
“People want to make out that there is a big fight,” Vergne said. “I don’t care. I’m here to do my job and get the best result for the team.”
Last year the general form showed that Daniel had the edge during qualifying but Jean-Eric was able to even things up on Sunday, when it matters most. The rookie Frenchman claimed 16 of Toro Rosso’s 26 points in 2012.
From the two-race sample we have to draw on in 2013 it seems that Vergne won’t be waiting around for Daniel. His tenth place in Malaysia is Toro Rosso’s only 2013 world championship point to date.
“[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,” added Vergne.
“The [intra-team] fight isn’t enough for me; I want better performances.”
Both drivers are under pressure to perform this year and, following the Vettel–Webber team orders saga from Sepang, it seems increasingly likely that there will be an opening at Red Bull Racing for 2014.
If so Red Bull may well cast their eyes wider than their Toro Rosso junior team, but an impressive season in the STR8 for Vergne or Ricciardo certainly won’t harm the chances of either for landing the plum gig at RBR.
[Source: Autosport | Pic: Toro Rosso/Getty Images]