MARCH 10, 2006

Toro Rosso on the podium?

There have been questions throughout the winter as to whether or nor the V10-V8 equivalency factor is correct. Scuderia Toro Rosso has benefited from good luck because the decision to build a V10 car was made before the team was sold by Paul Stoddart last year.

There have been questions throughout the winter as to whether or nor the V10-V8 equivalency factor is correct. Scuderia Toro Rosso has benefited from good luck because the decision to build a V10 car was made before the team was sold by Paul Stoddart last year. At the time the team made the decision because it was too poor to pay for a new V8 car. The takeover of the team by Red Bull meant that Toro Rosso suddenly had no shortage of money. In addition to that the car seems vaguely reminiscent of a Red Bull RB1 although the STR1 has been designed and built at Faenza. The result of this is that the team is rather stronger than was the case last year and Tonio Liuzzi ended the first day in Bahrain having set the sixth fastest time of the day.

Mercedes-Benz Norbert Haug says that he thinks STR will be able to go for a podium finish this year.

That will inevitably result in questions as to whether or not the team has an unfair advantage.