Posted on 1st February 2015
Toro Rosso has unveiled its 2015 challenger, the STR10, in the Jerez pit lane a day before the first test of the season begins.
Toro Rosso released a teaser video of the STR10 of the STR10 from a filming day in Misano earlier this week, and on Saturday took the covers off the car which will carry the hopes of all-rookie line-up Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr, who start the year with a combined age of 37. The pair took the covers off in front of the assembled media in the Jerez pit lane.
At the launch of the STR10 this afternoon, Toro Rosso Team Principal Franz Tost stated the following about the STR10 as follows:-
'The launch of the new STR10 car today here in Jerez de la Frontera marks the start of a new and hopefully thrilling F1 season. The 2015 season is a new challenge for all of us. We've put a lot of work into the STR10 and we are convinced that we will have a successful year. Our objective is to finish fifth in the constructors championship and we are ready to do our best to achieve it.
'Our engine partner Renault has also worked very hard to come up with new modifications and I'm sure that our joint effort will give us a package which will certainly be very competitive. All in all, we have a much stronger team as well as a very competitive STR10 and fast drivers; it's a great combination.'
My first thoughts of the STR10 (see picture above) is that it looks a very packaged car and the nose is significantly better than last year's “penis†noses. For me, it appears that Toro Rosso have undergone another direction with regards to their front nose, with Technical Director James Key stating to the media at the launch that he wasn't happy with the nose and changes could be made to it during the season.
However, I do not like the yellow on the nose itself and I am wondering why that it has been painted like that, but at the end of the day it is just part of the livery. But it is at least a step forward from last year and the nose is a bit more bearable as a result of these changes to the fans and pundits eyes.
From what Tost has stated in his interview today at the launch in Jerez, it is clear that he appears confident that the STR10 will be successful this season with their aim of finishing fifth in the Constructors Championship. However, I feel that might be out of reach for the Toro Rosso team unless they have created a really competitive car that can beat their rivals such as McLaren and Force India.
And based on what Toro Rosso achieved last season in terms of results, it would be pretty impressive if the team could manage this achievement and it would be a welcome step up for the team in their tenth year of racing in the sport.
Tost is also confident that engine supplier Renault will be able to be more competitive this season after learning valuable lessons from last season. As we have seen over the winter, Renault Sport personnel such as Rob White during their interviews with the media believe that they have learnt from last season and feel that the changes they have made will benefit their customers and their performance on the track which is the most important thing at the end of the day and where it matters too.
In regards to Toro Rosso's driver line up this season, Verstappen's rise to F1 has been a controversial one and has been discussed heavily in the paddock and on social media. He has beaten the current record for being the sport's youngest ever driver in Australia, making his debut at the age of 17.
However, Red Bull clearly believes that the son of ex-F1 driver Jos Verstappen has what it takes to race with the very best and have decided to take a calculated risk to sign Verstappen this season. But I have watched Verstappen a few times in Formula 3 and he has the talent and the speed that is needed to be successful in the sport.
With Sainz Jnr, he has been close to F1 many times in the past, but only secured a seat with Toro Rosso following Sebastian Vettel's decision to leave Red Bull and this therefore prompted Daniil Kvyat's promotion to Red Bull Racing. The Formula Renault 3.5 champion also has a famous racing father with Carlos Sainz being a legend of the rally world.
Sainz will debut the car in Jerez on Sunday, alternating duties with Verstappen for the remaining days of the test. And it is imperative that both drivers take the opportunity to gain more experience in the STR10 in preparation for the first race of the season in March.
As the Red Bull junior team enters its tenth season of racing in 2015 after having evolved from Minardi for the 2006 season, It has produced three full-time Red Bull drivers in that time, with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel being the most notable graduate of the programme. Vettel also claimed the team's only race win at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.
But overall with an all-rookie line-up for this season, Toro Rosso's hopes of breaking into the top five in 2015 may seem ambitious to many, but both Verstappen and Sainz have proven themselves in junior formulae, hence why they are racing for the team this season and could spring a surprise this season if the chance presents itself.
However, if Renault has fixed the problems that blighted its engines in 2014, the team could yet put itself in the fight with the likes of McLaren and Force India this year; provided that the STR10 is as competitive as Tost believes that it is. But only time will tell if Tost is proven correct or not when the STR10 goes into the first race of the season in Australia on the 16th March.
Sarah Jones
