First official words of Tanabe. (Sorry for the translation, is what I could get)
Yamaguchi: I think I'm busy preparing back to F1. I was appointed in January, but after taking office I think that it was difficult to move between Toro Rosso of Japan and Italy.
Tanabe: We visited the Toro Rosso Factory several times and we are working on detailed preparations for power unit mounting, technical meeting on annual plan, and race / test operation. At the same time, I frequently share the development situation of HRD 's Sakura with the off - season at video conference etc, and I am being forced to prepare for the off - season Barcelona test.
Yamaguchi: The predecessor of Toro Rosso, Mr. Tanabe is Minardi in the second phase. To be honest, it is not a top team right now, but it was a very familiar team that gained a deeper understanding of the essence of motor racing, but what kind of image did you have for Mr. Tanabe's then Minardi?
Tanabe: From the latter half of 1980 to the early 1990 Honda F1 In the second phase of the era, there are memories of the Minardi team remaining in memory. I forgot which race, but we also won the day and a dinner party, a so-called celebration, but it happened to be with the Minardi team members at that restaurant.
Yamaguchi: To Honda 's celebration, we were invited frequently by voice of Mr. Sakurai Shoshitoshi who appointed himself as general director in the second period.
Tanabe: That's it (laugh).
Yamaguchi: So you met Minardi.
Tanabe: Every member of Minardi was drinking, eating, singing and dancing all very well. At that time, for me who was desperate enough to keep winning, I thought that it would be enviable for everyone to enjoy so much to enter F1 with the question that why I could live like that whilst I lost it I remembered that.
Yamaguchi: Indeed, Minardi was such a team.
Tanabe: After that, in the third period of 1991 when I had to absence from work due to the limitation of the number of business days, I took a mini-tour of the Hungarian GP in private, so I took the Minardi's hospitality and moved the Minardi I had me for me. Strangely, it was also a mourning race of Mr. Soichiro Honda, pasta was delicious as was rumored (laugh).
Yamaguchi: What kind of impression did Toro Rosso visit with such memories?
Tanabe: It was impressive that people worked lively with reasonable size factory.
Yamaguchi: What is moderate size?
Tanabe: Specifically, it is difficult, but it is not too wide, not too narrow, is it a bit dense? : People were working in the area that I thought was.
Yamaguchi: Were the geographical situation of Faenza, home of Toro Rosso, and meals, etc. still "traditional" as it was?
Tanabe: Of course we have a short distance from our UK office in England, but it is conveniently close from Bologna airport. I had a delicious Italian lunch at the office, but unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to eat at the restaurant in the city.
Yamaguchi: From the Minardi era, Ayrton Senna came to eat pasta, or it was reputed that espresso is delicious, but what kind of impression did it make as a base of fighting as it keeps it (laugh)?
Tanabe: As I mentioned earlier, each section was efficiently placed in the factory, and it seemed that people who are visible a little cramped are worked organic and without waste. Surely, I felt that good things would not be created.
Yamaguchi: Was the atmosphere of the Toro Rosso factory good?
Tanabe: In the design and engineering room, several people seemed to work jointly and efficiently at workplaces where things are being built or assembled while communicating with others.
Yamaguchi: How about comparing the size and mood of the American IndyCar team with F1?
Tanabe: As you know, IndyCar is a one-make use of Dallara's chassis, the team does not make monocoque or big aero parts, so the factory equipment / scale of the F1 team is larger than that , Others seemed not to be so different from IndyCar's top level factory, such as Chip Ganassi etc.
Yamaguchi: Have you met Jamus Kee, Technical Director of Toro Rosso?
Tanabe: Yes, at the technical meeting in Faenza I mentioned earlier, he himself met several times, such as visiting our office in Milton Keynes.
Yamaguchi: What kind of impression do you have?
Tanabe: It is a very easy-to-talk person. I am able to talk about technical matters in detail.
Yamaguchi: What is Franz Tosto, the team representative?
Tanabe: Even Tosto has already seen it several times. I strongly felt the commitment to strengthen my team to participate in Formula One from that word. I also deal with Honda very cooperatively.
Yamaguchi: What kind of impression do you have?
Tanabe: There is no weapon, it is a fun story talking. I feel Honda is very favorably accepted.
Yamaguchi: Were Toro Rosso as impressive as the whole team?
Tanabe: Initially we will combine power units newly, but regarding the installation in general, we do not say "disgusting" as easy as possible, we clarify each other's requirements and decide the best combat strength specification I told you to go, I got a positive & flexible impression.
Yamaguchi: As a general image, if McLaren is 10, I think Toro Rosso seems to have about 7 team power, but in reality, how about the Toro Rosso potential?
Tanabe: This time, I am not talking about current McLaren and I can not say anything because I have just started dating with Toro Rosso.
Yamaguchi: The atmosphere is nice, and. From now on, it seems to be a good relationship.
Tanabe: Yes, I feel like that, or already a good relationship has started.
Yamaguchi: Of course, I guess Toro Rosso is superb in terms of passion, but I think there are some things that is not enough. Where is Mr. Tanabe as a position of Honda not enough for Toro Rosso's strength and what kind of place can be supplemented? For example, I think that there are places where you can accommodate such as Sakura facilities.
Tanabe: In addition to Sakura, including Milton Keynes at UK office, we think that it is very useful to promote development with flexibility such as facilities. We have already started verification tests of their gear boxes and our PUs together. I also want to strengthen collaboration on other sides.
Yamaguchi: What exactly is the specific collaboration on the other side?
Tanabe: Well, everything (laugh).
Yamaguchi: By the way, this year, the number of power units used annually will be tightened from four to three.
Tanabe: Since the number of races will be 21 from last year's 20 races, it will be tougher.
Yamaguchi: Indeed, as it gets even harder.
Tanabe: But I'd like to look forward to having a challenge in a difficult place, being Honda.
Yamaguchi: In the turbo era of the second term, as the supercharging pressure is restricted, if Sogaki Shoshitoshi, then coach at the time reports that Mr. Souichiro will become more and more strict, Mr. Soichiro said " So, if Mr. Sakurai smiled and answered that it was not such a thing, Mr. Souichiro said that it was a chance, "is not it? I thought that was exactly Honda.
Tanabe: It's not easy, but I think that the hardest part for us is the hardware configuration and management of complicated PUs. So, we are challenging Honda there. There is also a background that regulations' technical hurdles took part in late participation. Although we are pursuing development by overtaking, it is not so simple as the preceding group also does not loose the hands of development.
Yamaguchi: We are forecasting that Guthrie is 7th and Hartley is 12th in the opening round qualifying (laugh).
Tanabe: Will it be so easy? (Laugh).
Yamaguchi: Anyway, is that it is waiting for the opening round with a good relationship with Toro Rosso? In the opening round, Guthrie and Hartley are doing a good race, and we hope that Toro Rosso · Honda can all be smiling. Thank you very much.
Tanabe: Thank you very much. I will do my best to meet expectations.
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