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Red Bull's new
Formula One team, Scuderia Toro Rosso began its charge
today. Making its first official outing on the opening day
of a three-day test in Barcelona, the team took to the
racetrack as Scuderia Toro Rosso for the very first time.
Running a restricted-V10 Cosworth powered RB1 with Michelin
tyres, the team completed 325km of testing, as it began to
develop its technology ahead of 2006. Although the team's
livery and its 2006 chassis is yet to be revealed, the test
gave the team its first chance to experiment with the
technical set up of the current RB1 and observe how it
handled on the track. Despite low ambient temperatures of
between 5°C and 16°C, the team and drivers gained valuable
data and experience during the day's testing. Italian Tonio
Liuzzi completed driving duties today and is set to continue
tomorrow, while young American driver Scott Speed will take
over for the final day.
The decision by Red Bull to take over the former Minardi F1
Team came at
Spa during the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this year, making
the real birthday of the new Scuderia November 1, 2005. On
that date the takeover became official and at the same time
the first personnel decision was made: that 49-year-old Austrian
Franz Tost will spearhead the team.
Tost has
lots of motorsport experience and Formula One know-how to
contribute to the new team: he was formerly a driver
competing in
Formula Ford and Formula 3 and, among his other jobs,
was manager at the Walter Lechner Racing School before moving in
1993 to the team of Willi Weber. He was the driving force
behind Ralf Schumacher’s career in Japan, advancing with his
protégé to Formula 1. Since June 2000 Tost has been track
operation manager at BMW Motorsport. |
