Current AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso)

Toro Rosso

FIA Entry: Scuderia Toro Rosso
Car 18: Sebastien Buemi
Car 19: Jamie Alguersuari
Engine: Ferrari V8
Team Principa:l Franz Tost
Technical Director: Giorgi Ascanelli
Race Engineer Car 18: Riccardo Adami
Race Engineer Car 19:Andrea Landi

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2006
Races Entered 90
Race Wins 1
Pole Positions 1
Fastest Laps 0
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

The Beginning

Toro Rosso took over the Minardi entry in F1 in 2006. Minardi took part in 345 Grands Prix between 1985 and 2005 without a single win, podium, pole or fastest lap but were the starting point for double World Champion Fernando Alonso and race winners Mark Webber and Jarno Trulli.

Red Bull Takeover

At the end of 2005 current Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart sold the team to Red Bull to allow them to create a “Junior” team to bring new driver talent into F1. The Red Bull take over resulted in a change of name to Squadra Toro Rosso and then Scuderia Toro Rosso amidst much complaint from Minardi fans. For their first season in 2006 drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed used the STR1 chassis, which was essentially the Red Bull RB1 car. These were fitted with rev and air flow limited 3.0 litre Ford engines to allow Toro Rosso to compete in the new 2.4 litre formula in place for 2006.

Liuzzi scored a point for the team at the US Grand Prix, a race where only 9 cars finished. The development of the new engines by the other teams put Toro Rosso in a very uncompetitive position and they tended to qualify toward the back of the grid and run in those positions in the race.

Ferrari Customer

With the senior Red Bull team moving to Renault power for 2007 Toro Rosso picked up their Ferrari engine contract. Speed and Liuzzi continued as drivers. The STR2 proved unreliable and both drivers made mistakes during the year leading to speculation that they would be replaced. Speed eventually lost his seat to BMW test driver, and Red Bull junior driver, Sebastien Vettel. In changeable weather at the Chinese Grand Prix Vettel bought his car home 4th with Liuzzi 6th.

For 2008 Vettel was joined by reigning Champ Car Series winner Sebastien Bourdais as Liuzzi moved to Force India. Bourdais finished 7th at the opening race of the season in Australia and Vettel then took 4th in Monaco. As the season progressed Vettel in particular was a regular points scorer and in wet qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix put his car on pole. The rain continued into race day and Vettel went on to win the race becoming the youngest ever Grand Prix victor. More points finishes for Vettel in the final races of the season put Toro Rosso 6th in the Constructors Championship and earned him a place in the Red Bull senior team for 2009.

Sebastien Buemi joined Bourdais for 2009 and after the highs of 2008 the team came back down to earth in ’09. Bourdais was dismissed mid season due to poor race results and Jaime Alguersuari took his seat for the remainder of the season. The drivers managed a few low points finished but the team dropped to 10th in the Constructors Championship.

Buemi and Alguersuari continued for 2010 and again picked up some minor points placing’s, helped by the revised points scoring system for the season. The team finished 9th in the Constructors Championship but were the lowest placed of the established F1 teams.

2011

Toro Rosso continue with the same driver line up in 2011 and, with the STR6 car and Ferrari engines, hope they can move further up the grid.

 

[Dario Resta]

Toro Rosso is RB's feeder. If you don't impress enough, you get shipped out. Harsh, but there are a lot of guys in the system for Red Bull. I think both Jaime and Moose did a decent job for them this year, especially Algersuari, who on occasion really shone despite some poor qualy.

I hope both get a decent (not HRT) seat for next year, but I suspect at least one will be a test driver - for what it's worth - at best.

 

[Il_leone]

Toro Rosso is RB's feeder. If you don't impress enough, you get shipped out. Harsh, but there are a lot of guys in the system for Red Bull. I think both Jaime and Moose did a decent job for them this year, especially Algersuari, who on occasion really shone despite some poor qualy.

I hope both get a decent (not HRT) seat for next year, but I suspect at least one will be a test driver - for what it's worth - at best.

a feeder team with Helmut Marko assessing the young drivers he manages that are good enough for the full team

 

[RasputinLives]

a feeder team with Helmut Marko assessing the young drivers he manages that are good enough for the full team

Whats wrong with that? Everyone knew thats what Toro Rosso was when Red Bull bought it

 

[RasputinLives]

Meet Jean-Eric Vergne a man who probably can't get the smile off his face at the moment

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96759

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Livid is the world. Alguersuari and Buemi were moving the team in the right direction this year and now they've been given the boot. So very harsh on the pair of them. What more can Daniel Riccarrdio and Jean Eric Vergne offer that Alguersuari and Buemi can't?

 

[FB]

I have to say neither driver impressed me greatly. They had moments where they looked impressive but just that, moments. Red Bull are looking for consistently good drivers and they think Ricciardo and Vergne may well be this. Did anyone ever look at Buemi or Algurwatsit and think "there's a potential World Champion". That's what Red Bull are looking for.

 

[Jos the Boss]

http://www.formula1onlive.com/2011/12/toro-rosso-explain-cast-out-of-duo-quit.html

 

[Il_leone]

Whats wrong with that? Everyone knew thats what Toro Rosso was when Red Bull bought it

I don't run that team..you can say its harsh probably more on ALgarsuari than Buemi because Jaime has actually drove some very good races second half of the season after being panned first half being accident prone and slow.

People should realise this team is set up so Helmut can run his plan to have development drivers to go into Red Bull

 

[sobriety]

I would've kept either Moose or Jaime on, as then I'd have a benchmark for whichever driver I bought in, I stand to be proven wrong, though.

 

[Il_leone]

I would've kept either Moose or Jaime on, as then I'd have a benchmark for whichever driver I bought in, I stand to be proven wrong, though.

That's what Helmut would hope to justify the young driver programme

 

[Josh]

People should realise this team is set up so Helmut can run his plan to have development drivers to go into Red Bull

I think everyone is aware of this; after all, this was announced when the team was bought...

 

[RasputinLives]

That's what Helmut would hope to justify the young driver programme

Yeah Helmut is so evil running a scheme to bring give young drivers a chance to get into F1. I'm not really sure what you're getting at.

I'm sure Buemi and Alguersauri are gutted but ask yourself this - if Helmut hadn't run his 'young driver programme' would you have ever seen either of them in F1 in the first place? probabaly not. They wouldn't have 3 seasons and a good rep under their belt at this stage of their career I can tell you that.

 

[FB]

I'm sure they will both have good careers in LMP or some other formula but I doubt either will be back in an F1 car any time soon. Personally I'm pleased Red Bull are sticking to their guns and bringing in some new blood, I just wish they would take the same view on Mark Webber and get some serious competition in the senior team.

 

[Brogan]

Probably a discussion for another thread, but having Webber in the second seat suits Red Bull just fine.

 

[Bill Boddy]

So if Coulthard had not retired Vettel would by now be due for the chop? Just because the drivers in the senior team stay on is not a good reason for getting rid of both the drivers in the second team.

But it seems that their quality doesn't matter, it's not even their age. It's just bad luck, they should have started their careers two years later?

 

[Viscount]

So if Coulthard had not retired Vettel would by now be due for the chop? Just because the drivers in the senior team stay on is not a good reason for getting rid of both the drivers in the second team.

But it seems that their quality doesn't matter, it's not even their age. It's just bad luck, they should have started their careers two years later?

Well perhaps Vettel was part of the reason why Coulthard retired? I think quality is what matters most at Red Bull, they want the best 2 drivers possible which is why Webber only gets 1 year contracts. They'll have loads of data on the drivers at Toro Rosso and if they thought any of them were faster than Webber he'd be replaced without hesitation. I don't think it's bad timing, they've lasted the longest in Toro Rosso's short history, just not impressed enough unfortunately.

 

[RasputinLives]

So if Coulthard had not retired Vettel would by now be due for the chop?

Are you suggesting that Buemi or Alguersauri are as good as Vettel. If either of them had been even close believe me Red Bull would have made room. Fact is this. They don't see Buemi or Alguersauri as being good enough to drive for their first team. They have to drivers in their young drivers programme they think may be. So Buemi and Alguersauri have to make way in the junior team so they can try them out. Seems simple to me.

Now the timing was done a little badly - Buemi and Alguersauri should have had more time to look for drives elsewhere but the policy behind it is not faulty. Thats exactly what they bought the team for.

I'm sure they will both have good careers in LMP or some other formula but I doubt either will be back in an F1 car any time soon.

I think you might be wrong on that front when it comes to young Jamie - at 21 with two and a half years of F1 experience and knowledge of the in's and out's of the Red Bull team might be a little too tempting for some of the midfield teams I think.

 

[FB]

You may well be right Ras.

 

[teabagyokel]

Well perhaps Vettel was part of the reason why Coulthard retired?

I do have the suspicion that Red Bull would have intimated to DC that he would not have a contract renewed at the team for 2009. DC then probably looked at his options, talked to his old manager (Martin Brundle) and saw a chance to dig himself a career in the media with the new F1 broadcaster (the BBC). If he retired because he was fed up with racing - why move to DTM?

 

[Il_leone]

As for Toro Rosso - its a B team and allows them to groom young drivers before going to Red Bull. Both Buemi and Algarsuari knew the score but if they can't get into Red Bull

Where does it leave either driver ? I don't hear other teams talk about them

But then what expectations are there for Toro Rosso anyway because they won't be other than midfield team unless the wet weather throws some curve balls for them
--------------------------------------------------

As for DC moving over for Vettel.

He said it himself he was no longer enjoying the sport he once loved and that is when he knew he had to call it and he also acknowledged that Vettel was the coming man and made way for him saying Seb is ready to be promoted

I am not sure what the deal with Webber's side was then but probably being younger than DC helped a bit

DC said he had no regrets despite the Red Bull obviously becoming a quick car finally