[Team] Scuderia Toro Rosso: Now with HONDA

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Joking aside, how much does experience of a particular power unit count for? Honda should be evolving it pretty constantly anyway.

Probably not so much about the power unit itself but the familiarity to dealing with Japanese/Honda power unit engineers. Remember Gasly also had a year in the Super series in Japan before STR. Nothing like a little cultural sympatico to grease the wheels.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

Probably not so much about the power unit itself but the familiarity to dealing with Japanese/Honda power unit engineers. Remember Gasly also had a year in the Super series in Japan before STR. Nothing like a little cultural sympatico to grease the wheels.

Now that could be useful, but somehow I doubt Christian "I'm always right" Horner and Adrian "a little tighter will be better aero" Newey will both be willing to listen and try to meet Honda in the middle. The more I think the more I feel this will end with Honda buying out the deal and leaving F1. I don't want it to go that way but Honda doesn't seem to accept critiques and neither of the Red Bull gentlemen are flexible either.

[S griffin]

For me it's a combination. Gasly is a future talent and has experience of the current Honda PU

[EffectiveSprinkles]

Pretty sure it's because Gasly is a Red Bull driver and is very fast. Anything else seems completely irrelevant to me.

[Aysedasi]

Yep, that works for me too (although whether its the reason or not, I've no idea.....)

[Armco Bender]

Hartley out....Albon in.
Pretty obvious that Hartleys time was up,now someone elses turn to trundle around the back of the grid.

[Skam85]

Yes, now Norris, Russell and Albon can reignite their F2 battles from this year... for P15.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Yes, now Norris, Russell and Albon can reignite their F2 battles from this year... for P15.

Ouch 😂

Great signing by Frank Toast though. Albon is a tidy driver. Gets on with it but seems to think a lot about his racing too?

bella what do you think of him?

[thunderbolt]

where do i find the alcoholic redbull ?
Albon's return to the Red Bull fold with Toro Rosso comes six years after he was dropped from the drinks firm's junior programme.

https://au.eurosport.com/formula-1/a...58/story.shtml

[E.B]

I believe it influences things when you race under a Thai flag and have the Thai Red Bull original product people on your side. I understand the original pre red bull recipe was made in Thailand. So I have heard.

[S griffin]

I'm just glad they've finally got it sorted. Just need the second FI or whatever it will be called seat to be filled. Good luck to Albon. Still remember his Dad racing in the BTCC back in 94

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by E.B

I believe it influences things when you race under a Thai flag and have the Thai Red Bull original product people on your side. I understand the original pre red bull recipe was made in Thailand. So I have heard.

The version in the small bottle with the white label is the "most authentic", supposedly the variant of pharmacist Shubiao Xu's drink that toothpaste salesman Mateschitz purchased upon arriving jet lagged in the Kingdom...

[greentrumpet]

Hope he didn't "do a Kroc" to the original owners.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by greentrumpet

Hope he didn't "do a Kroc" to the original owners.

The "original owners" are now among the richest people in Thailand.
I wonder if Albon's selection (Thai mother) has anything to do with his selection?
I tend to think it is more to do with replacing the cross cultural synergy that Hartley established with the Honda engineers as well as his fighting instinct and demonstrated talent.
By the way the original stuff in the bottles is certainly effective than the canned drop at curing hangovers.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

The "original owners" are now among the richest people in Thailand.
I wonder if Albon's selection (Thai mother) has anything to do with his selection?
I tend to think it is more to do with replacing the cross cultural synergy that Hartley established with the Honda engineers as well as his fighting instinct and demonstrated talent.
By the way the original stuff in the bottles is certainly effective than the canned drop at curing hangovers.

I believe he competes with a Thai licence and races under the Thai flag, despite being born and raised in the UK.

When he lines up at Albert Park in March he will become the first Thai driver since Prince Bira last raced in a GP back in 1954.

EDIT: As an aside I believe the heir to the Thai fortune is currently living as a fugitive, avoiding court summonses for various reasons and believed to be now in Europe, avoiding returning to Thailand, having been responsible for a fatal car crash, doing a drunken hit and run, after killing a Police Motorcyclist whilst hooning in his Ferrari.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39427291

[peebee2]

STR could be a plum seat for ‘19 if suggestions they will run RBR clone prove true

[E.B]

Hopefully their sacrifices made in their developing the Honda engines pay off for them. I would like to see them beat the senior team tbh. Long shot maybe but.....

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by peebee2

STR could be a plum seat for ‘19 if suggestions they will run RBR clone prove true

I am sure that Red Bull / STR have been looking very closely at the Haas (and probably Sauber) way of doing things so they can work out how far they can push things.

[S griffin]

STR have one driver who's older than both Max and Pierre

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by S griffin

STR have one driver who's older than both Max and Pierre

Combined?!

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Combined?!

No.

Kvyat is the "oldest fart" in the Red Bull driver line-up at 24 years.

[Aysedasi]

Not exactly pensionable age though.......

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Not exactly pensionable age though.......

Depends on the economy and the latest Free Trade Agreement / sanctions!

[Oldtony]

Torro Rosso are purportedly pounding round Suzuka in a modfied NSX with a Red Bull gearbox in the back and simulated next years MUGH and Kinetic recovery mode.
Don't know how this fits the off season testing rules but would seem to indicate that they are taking things seriously.
They seem to "leak" more than the other manufacturers about this sort of thing.

[E.B]

Interesting thought and clearly a great idea.... running components on a track is clearly advantageous I would imagine to even the most sophisticated rolling road or dyno set up a team might have in house.

I do recall rumours of Ferrari doing similar in specially modified road cars in the past at Fiorano, with F1 test drivers in the days of Gene etc., but cant find links to the stories. Maybe they were even using older F1 cars pre cut off dates for said purpose

Given the lengths teams or manufacturers go to even in their road cars where it is normal to test new components for future road cars in existing models on huge road tests, it is at best inconceivable to think some shenanigans do not take place in race cars, especially teams like Ferrari with in house test tracks.

It does show in the case of Honda, their sheer commitment to succeed in what has been a disappointing F1 return to date results wise.