Daniil Kvyat believes he and Toro Rosso are beginning to get a handle on how best to extract the potential from its STR14 during qualifying.
Kvyat failed to make it through to Q3 through the opening three events but qualified a season-best sixth in Azerbaijan and followed it up with ninth in Spain, labelling it as one of the best laps of his career.
“I think [it] is clicking better now,” he said. “The speed and understanding of what I need in the car to be able to extract everything out of it now.
“We had a bit not clear in our minds in the first two qualifying of the year, but I think after Bahrain we understood exactly what I need in terms of car to go quicker.
“China was already a very good step, Baku another and in Spain another. And hopefully we are reaching a good amount of understanding.
“Qualifying was a bit our weak part and now I would say it was really good. Only Haas in front, so we can be quite satisfied.”
Kvyat added to Toro Rosso’s points tally in Spain but the team remains in ninth position in the Constructors’ Championship, six points behind nearest opponent Renault.
“I think we had a chance [in Spain] maybe to give it a big fight for finishing best of the rest and I really hope we will get that,” he said.
“The team is working hard and many times our pace this year already has been there, and we will fight for the best of the rest.”