JULY 20, 2012

Ascanelli in Toro Rosso split?

Experienced Toro Rosso technical director Giorgio Ascanelli is absent from the pit wall at Hockenheim. The Italian is said to be unhappy with the running of the team in certain areas, with matters believed to have come to a head at Silverstone.

Experienced Toro Rosso technical director Giorgio Ascanelli is absent from the pit wall at Hockenheim. The Italian is said to be unhappy with the running of the team in certain areas, with matters believed to have come to a head at Silverstone.

The straight-talking Ascanelli has a long history in F1, dating back to the eighties when he race engineered Gerhard Berger at Ferrari. After a spell at Benetton looking after Nelson Piquet, he rejoined Berger at McLaren and then ran Ayrton Senna in 1993.

Ascanelli returned to Ferrari in 1995, where he again teamed up with Berger and also with Jean Alesi as he headed up the Scuderia's on-track engineering.

Ascanelli is believed to have had issues with developoment priorities and budget allocation at Toro Rosso.

Questioned about the situation at Hockenheim, team principal Franz Tost said: "All I can say is that Giorgio is on holiday and that there is confidentiality between the two parties..."