Scuderia Toro Rosso

For the first 20 years of its existence Scuderia Toro Rosso was known as Minardi. The Italian team managed to survive through turbulent times - despite an ongoing lack of success and lack of major sponsorship. Giancarlo Minardi ran an F2 team for several years before building his first F1 car for the 1985 season. Since then the Italian team has only rarely had a car capable of getting near the points, although it picked up two fourth places in 1991, and another in 1993. Over the years the team helped many young drivers to break into F1, including Giancarlo Fisichella and Jarno Trulli. That trend continued when Australian businessman Paul Stoddart took over in 2001, and gave chances to the likes of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber. However in September 2005 he sold the team to Red Bull, who gave it a new name for the following season. Later former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger joined as co-owner. In its first season in 2006 the team was the only one using restricted V10 engines so it was hard to judge progress. Last year it had Ferrari V8 engines and a car based on the sister RBR design. New signing Sebastian Vettel scored an amazing fourth in China, and is joined in 2008 by former Champcar star Sebastien Bourdais.

2007 STR2 Car Development

Generally the STR2 and RB3 received aerodynamic revisions at different stages through the season. The STR2 was fitted with a new front wing in Monaco, similar to the one that sister team Red Bull implemented in the previous round, with 2 curved upper profiles that improve airflow over the car and increase downforce. The team further developed the STR2 in Turkey with a new barge board development. The STR2 was fitted with a "arch" over the nose on the front wing around the Belgian Grand Prix, the Red Bull RB3s did not sport such a wing design until around the Japanese Grand Prix.

2008 STR2B Car Development

The STR2 has been developed further to include the new McLaren Electronic Systems "Standardised Electronic Control Unit" that prevents the cars having electronic driver aids like engine braking and traction control. The car has also been adapted for the new rules on driver safety with higher headrests around the cockpit. Another development is a new gearbox, as the 2008 rules state that cars must have a gearbox that lasts for four races: if one fails, the driver will face a penalty of five places on the starting grid.

So far this year the main development for the team has been the gearbox for the early 2008 testing season, Chief Engineer Laurent Mekies thinks the team "are going in the right direction" on the gearbox development. Driver Sebastian Vettel has also said that the STR2B has its advantages to be starting the 2008 season, as its a proven machine and it wont have any of the niggles or teething problems of a new car. The team's new car, the STR3, will probably not be launched until around or after April.

The STR2B underwent a total re-working of the front suspension at the Barcelona test on 1-3 February, This is to make better use of the Bridgestone Potenza tyres, but also clean up the area from the front wing to under the drivers seat, this will improve the efficiency of the rear diffuser, thus providing more grip. The STR2 is hardly more than a carryover of the all new Red Bull RB3. While the STR was an older car, the new car is a huge improvement. The chassis is completely new as Adrian Newey designed a car to his likings and following his experience from McLaren. While the team was lagging slightly on developments performed by Red Bull Racing Technologies, the car was vastly slower than the car run by Red Bull. It is important to know that Newey and his design team at Red Bull designed the new car for the championship winning Renault engine that was fitted in the RB3. The adaptation of the chassis and a possibly inferior engine (mainly in packaging) meant the team lacked performance to grab a lot of points.

Mid season, after the European Grand Prix, Scott Speed got replaced by BMW Sauber's test driver Sebastian Vettel. At that point, Toro Rosso and Spyker F1 were the only teams not to have scored points in 2007.

Technical Specifications

Chassis

Composite monocoque structure, designed and built in-house, carrying the Ferrari V8 056 engine as fully stressed member.

Suspension
Front cast titanium uprights, pushrods, carbon-fibre upper and lower wishbones
Rear cast titanium uprights, pushrods, carbon-fibre upper and lower wishbones

Wheels & Tyres
AVUS Racing Front: 12.0 to 12.7in x 13in Wheels
AVUS Racing Rear: 13.7in x 13in Wheels
Tyres Bridgestone Potenza

Brakes & Electronic
Brembo calipers, hitco carbon disks and pads.
Pi 'VCS' System. Integrated engine/chassis electronic control system.

Transmission

7 speed gearbox, longitudinally mounted high-pressure hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation AP Racing triple-plate-type clutch.

Engine
Fuel management: Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection.
Engine: Engine Ferrari Type 056
Capacity: 2398cc
Configuration: V8, 90°
Cylinder block: Cast aluminium
Number of valves: 32
Piston bore: 98 mm
Weight: 95 kg
Max engine speed: 19,000 rpm (as limited by regulations)

Official Site
RedbullF1.Com | Photo