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The ending relationship between Scuderia Toro Rosso and Renault Sport has become sour just 2 weeks before the end of the season. Renault's Cyril Abiteboul and Toro Rosso's Franz Tost have made it no secret who they believe is to blame for the situation.
No! please no!
Jenson Button:
- "I'm definitely going to do something next year for a full season"
- "Whether here, in America or elsewhere, I do not know yet, but the talks are under way"
Alonso, extends deadline: end of October limits for his future
Graham Wilson:
Now there will be additional work to do because we have changed the engine supplier for next season. There is a lot of information to give to the partner, both sides, to have an idea of what they will need and what we will need. Everyone has different requirements, from equipment and hardware. I think Honda is one of the strongest manufacturers in the world. I worked with them for 7 years at BAR-Honda, so I know people like Hasegawa. He was head of the test team and I was a mechanical leader. So we've known each other for years. I know the Japanese people and their culture pretty well. They are very nice people and clearly in Honda are very motivated. They have something to prove even now. So they are pushing even more than before. For us, as a team, it's a big step. We have always been seen as a small customer team. We will have to push very strongly on us and on their part to achieve our goals.
https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/il-mi ... so-958139/
Indeed. Gotta feel for Kvyat. Makes mistakes and gets demoted mid season. Then gets the nickname 'the torpedo' at the start of this season and now if thrown out.WaikeCU wrote: ↑26 Sep 2017, 13:38I think Kvyat still is a great driver, but I think he's the kind of driver that needs a team to back him up and a team where he feels he's fully comfortable. Just look at his records in the past at Toro Rosso and Red Bull compared to his last 2 seasons, something has put a permanent scar on his abilities and that is the moment he got relegated from Red Bull. Doubt he'll overcome this setback. This is another scar on his confidence and abilities. For sure F1 is a hard world, but I wouldn't associate the word ethical with the brand Red Bull. Red Bull just wants to seize every moment to gain further exposure (=$$$). Normally teams wait it out till next season and not rush things, but Red Bull seems to think otherwise.NathanOlder wrote: ↑26 Sep 2017, 11:08Gasly to race this weekend instead of Kvyat
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13203 ... lace-kvyat
I believe we have seen the last of Daniil, sadly. Not many seats available anymore. Sauber or Williams, unless he brings a lot of $$$ to a team, then maybe he'll have a drive for next season, but at the moment, it doesn't look good at all.
To think Palmer still has his seat and Kvyat hasn't... what a cruel world it truly is.
Q: Franz, no team is likely to face more upheaval than Toro Rosso in 2018 - new drivers and a new engine (again)! Can we start with the power unit? Talk us through the events that led to the Toro Rosso-Honda deal…
Franz Tost: That is easy: the partnership with McLaren and Honda was a bit difficult in the past, as both parties has made public. We knew that McLaren wanted another partner, so we started negotiating with Honda and in the end we found an agreement for the next three years.
Q: Is it a done deal, the three years?
FT: Yes it is.
Q: McLaren definitely wanted to part with Honda for obvious reasons. Where do you see the beauty of your deal?
FT: The beauty is that we expect a successful cooperation with Honda, because otherwise we would not have done the deal. I am convinced that Honda will sort out all technical topics – and I am also convinced that the engine is already much better than many people think because McLaren is quite close to us – unfortunately – and sometimes even faster than us. So I am sure that this cooperation will be successful.
Q: McLaren’s racing director Eric Boullier said that he believes Honda will produce a successful power train in the future, but that he cannot wait that long. Can you?
FT: The question is about what time frame we are talking. I do expect that already next year Honda will come up with a competitive package.
Q: It has seemed in the last couple of races that Honda have caught up somewhat. Could it be that you will harvest the fruits of McLaren’s labour?
FT: If so, fine! (Laughs) Why not? We are open and flexible! And don’t forget, for Toro Rosso the co-operation with Honda means a 100 percent step forward. At Renault we are the third team and at Honda we are their only team, so we expect to get out a lot on the design side as well as from the cooperation. So once again: for us this deal means a big step forward.
Q: What about the gearbox situation? This was one of the reasons Sauber called off their planned Honda deal – because they didn’t want to get caught in a situation where McLaren no longer runs a Honda engine but would build the gearbox for a Honda customer?
FT: Ha, a clear plus on our side: we produce our own gearbox. Therefore it is totally easy for us. That is Toro Rosso – we are flexible!
Q: Could it be that Toro Rosso will be the ‘guinea pig’ next season ahead of a possible Red Bull Racing-Honda partnership in 2019?
FT: For that you have to speak with Red Bull Racing. We only know that we have a three-year contract.
Q: In recent seasons Toro Rosso have switched back and forth between an Italian engine supplier – Ferrari – and a French one – Renault. Now you are moving from a French one to a Japanese one. How do you cope with so many changes – both technical and cultural? Surely stability would be better?
FT: It shows first and foremost how flexible we are. We are used to this, so it’s easy for us. Nothing can shock us. Imagine, the last change from Ferrari to Renault was 10 months ago! (Laughs) But now it is Japanese in – and that will stay for the next three years. I also see the benefit of having a certain degree of stability, but that comes from within the team. [Technical director] James Key and his group of engineers are the source of stability and this is where we get our strength from. And we’ve shown that we are capable of fighting with teams that have much more stability than we ever had. With all the changes that we always have to cope with, we have always been in a position to finish the car in time for the first test – and that is paramount. But then again, it is not a ‘must’ to change during the season. (Laughs) Regarding our new Japanese partners, the good news is that I have lived in Japan for a year so I am aware of the difficulties that might arise in communication and we are already working on this matter.
Q: We have learned that Carlos Sainz is moving to Renault next year, so there is at least one seat available at Toro Rosso for 2018 – maybe even both…
FT: That is absolutely correct. We don’t know yet. That is why Red Bull decided to run Pierre Gasly, to see where his real performance is. After we get a picture of this Red Bull will decide.
Q: Will Daniil Kvyat ever come back?
FT: It is all open. He is still a Red Bull driver and has a valid contract.
Q: You were also running Sean Gelael today and on some other Grand Prix Fridays…
FT: Yes, Sean is driving on certain occasions for us. All in all he will do four FP1 sessions this year: that was Singapore, here, in Austin and Mexico – and he will do one test day in Abu Dhabi. But he will definitely race Formula 2 next season. Then we will see for 2019.
Q: So it will be Daniil and Pierre for 2018? There is nobody else from your junior programme who would qualify – and Red Bull never took drivers that are not part of the Red Bull family…
FT: Yes, there is nobody else from our junior programme. But let’s see.
Q: Finally, as team principal, if you could make one wish what would it be?
FT: That we still finish in P5 in the constructors’ championship. Yes, we are struggling as the second car has only scored four points, but nevertheless this is the target.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/inte ... eturn.html
STR-Honda to be Honda Racing F1 .. any one ?!!bigblue wrote: ↑02 Oct 2017, 01:03Marko to visit Honda HQ after Malaysia (at grandprix.com)
"Honda will increase its F1 budget by 50 per cent for 2018," he said. "It is the funds freed up by the McLaren sponsorship."
