Tost was t𒆙he Toro Rosso boss in 2012 whe▨n the highly-touted Ricciardo arrived as a young driver.

They then met again last season at AlphaTauri, a move which reinvigorated Ricciardo’s care💜er, before Tost waved goodಌbye to F1 and retired at the end of the year.

🐠Ricciardo insisted the sport would miss the veteran Tost: “I’🐷d say tremendously. 

“I think for the team, he’s been everything, obviously starting o🌳ff in the Toro Rosso days, or my first full season in F1.

“I remember quite vividly the firstဣ meeting I had in his office and I kind of bounced in with a smile. 

“I th🍎ink he looked at me like… He tried to prepare me for whܫat’s ahead.

“It’s a serious sport and it’s a tough old world.

“I think he was very honest witᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚh me as🌄 well, but it made me… 

“A little bit the same as with🌞 [Red Bull advisor] Helmut [Marko], it kind of made me mature a little quicker and ultimately gꦍrow up.

“I think Franz has always🤡 been really involved. 

“He’s in every debrief, he’ll normally speak as well in debriefs and give some analysis or advice or anything he’s seen. ✨;

“He’s fully involved in it and it's his passion.

“It’s been everything that’s kind of given him drive for so many year༺s. 

“I hope he can enjoy putting his feet up a lit🐠tle bit next year. 

“I’m not𝓡 sure fully what♋ that’s going to entail for him, but I really hope he’s able to enjoy some R&R.”

Tost had a helping hand i🐓n developing Red Bull drivers Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly.

Gasly’s only F1 grand prix victory was four years ago in Italy, as an AlphaTauri driver under Tost’s🦂 leadership.

“He’s played a huge pa🐲rt in my career,” said Gasly.&n🔥bsp;

“I ended up spending five years being his driver so we built a very strong bond. 🐈;

He’s quiteꦇ a unique character, he’s got his own personality, but his love and passion for F1 and motorsport is pretty much unmatched.

“He’s been definitely very valuable in my caree🌸൲r just in the support that he brought. 

“He brought me the self-reflection in being quite object💞ive and always trying to dig inside his driver and try and get more, extract more out of them. 

“I’ve a🍃lways had a very good personal connectio🥃n [with him].

“I did wish him already all the best for his future.﷽🌊 

“I know what he’s going to be up to,𒉰 he’s always been talk🐬ing about skiing and going in the mountains. 

“He’s seen race tracks for h🌺is entire career and I think it’s🅺 a great opportunity for him to enjoy his off-track life.”

Tost, aged𒁃 67, was in charge of Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri for 18 years.

Laurent M🔯ekies has arrived this year from Ferrar🦩i as AlphaTauri’s new team principal.