Review of 2016 – Scuderia Toro Rosso: struggling in the second half of the season

The important figures:

Position in the constructors’ standings: 7th

Pole position: 0

Victory: 0

Podium: 0

Points: 63

Best result: 6th (Bahrain, United States, Brazil: Sainz)

Best qualification: 5th (Australia: Verstappen)

Fastest lap in race: 1 (Spain: Kvyat)

A promising start and a slow second half of the season

For the third consecutive year, Toro Rosso finishes in 7th place in the Constructors’ Championship with 63 points, 4 fewer than in 2015. This season featured only 19 Grand Prix compared to 21 in 2015.

The arithmetic observation translates to a slowdown in pace, especially in the second half of the season.

The results of the first part of the season were encouraging. The Faenza-based team managed to score points in almost every race, except for Russia, Baku, and Germany. At the summer break, Toro Rosso was in 6th position and had accumulated 45 points, an average of 3.75 points per race. This total represents nearly 70% of their entire season’s points.

But the rest resulted in too irregular outcomes; with retirements, collisions, and a glaring lack of performance and reliability. Only 18 points from the last 9 Grand Prix were banked for the Italian team in Singapore, the United States, and Brazil. This reduced the average points per race to 3 compared to 3.5 in 2015.

The factors of loss of speed

During the second act of the year, the statements from the drivers and director Franz Tost constantly revolved around: « lack of speed and performance » of the STR11. Handicapped by a 2015 Ferrari engine (deficient by 60 to 70 horsepower), Franz Tost’s team couldn’t compete on demanding circuits like Monza or Suzuka.

Moreover, the aerodynamic improvements made at Hockenheim did not have the expected effects. In parallel with this observation, their competitors have managed to advance. Like the McLaren team, which is 13 points ahead of them in the final standings; whereas in 2015, it was in ninth place, 40 points behind Toro Rosso.

Another factor undoubtedly weighed in the balance: the exchange of drivers starting from the Spanish Grand Prix. Max Verstappen had allowed 13 points to be scored in the first four races compared to 4 for Carlos Sainz. As for Daniil Kvyat after his return to Toro Rosso, he was just a shadow of himself, unable to find his bearings.

🏁 The /f1/actualite/21627-bilan-de-la-saison-2016-votez-pour-votre-top-10-.html #F1 Championship is already behind us. 21 races, a very long season: a big “Thank you” to the whole Team 🙌🏼✌🏼️😉#F1Finale pic.twitter.com/8HWyvd1BTj

— Toro Rosso (@ToroRossoSpy) 28 novembre /f1/actualite/21627-bilan-de-la-saison-2016-votez-pour-votre-top-10-.html

The text is not translatable.

Carlos Sainz holds steady against his teammates

For his second year with Toro Rosso, Carlos Sainz delivered a solid performance. He gained 3 places in the Drivers’ Championship compared to 2015 (15th with 18 points). The Madrid native stood out by finishing in the top 10 ten times at the end of the races and qualifying for Q3 nine times.

Once out of Max Verstappen’s shadow – following his transfer – the Spaniard revealed himself, likely freed from the weight of comparison but also driven and eager to prove his worth to his leaders. He immediately achieved the best result of his career in Barcelona (6th). From then on, Carlos Sainz carried the team on his shoulders, scoring three-quarters of the points for his team. He also delivered well-executed races, such as in Austria (qualified 15th → 8th) or in Brazil, taking advantage of the rain (qualified 15th → 6th), and providing a great battle for 5th place with Fernando Alonso, his compatriot.

It is therefore quite naturally that the company Red Bull wanted to secure his seat for 2017, during the European Grand Prix. He will thus begin his third season in F1.

On Daniil Kvyat’s side, the scenario is quite different for his third season in F1. He has only scored 4 points following his return to Toro Rosso. The 2015 season seems distant. That year, while with Red Bull, he secured a podium in Hungary and a 7th place in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of his teammate Daniel Ricciardo (8th).

The season started with a retirement in Australia and two collisions with Sebastian Vettel in China and Russia (which impacted his own teammate). That was all it took for Helmut Marko and Christian Horner to seize the opportunity to inaugurate their Dutch talent – Max Verstappen – starting from Barcelona. Daniil Kvyat was thus sent back to square one at Toro Rosso, despite a podium in China and a 7th place at Sakhir for Red Bull.

From then on, it’s a journey through the desert. Despite scoring a point in Spain and setting the fastest lap during that race, driver number 26 never manages to get his head above water. Except in Singapore, where he scored 2 points and seemed—according to him—to be regaining his sensations. Worse still, he was involved multiple times in collisions and penalized. In fact, he accumulated the most penalty points over the past year: 8 points. As a reminder, reaching 12 points results in a driver’s suspension for the next Grand Prix. Finally, mechanical failures and bad luck completed—like in Brazil when Jolyon Palmer hit him while he could have secured points—this challenging year both sportingly and mentally.

In the columns of Autosport this December, Daniil Kvyat described his season as “a year of survival.” Yet, in Austin, the Russian was officially retained in his seat for 2017. Is this Red Bull’s mea culpa, a need for stability, or politico-sportive considerations? No matter, Daniil Kvyat will start his fourth season in 2017.

2017 a new chapter: Return to engine manufacturer Renault

The Scuderia Toro Rosso will switch back to the French colors of the Viry-Châtillon engine after a season powered by Ferrari. The Renault engine has shown its progress since the advent of hybrids in 2014, allowing Red Bull to return to the front runners. In 2017, aerodynamics will take precedence. The Faenza team will have to develop a chassis where its characteristic aerodynamic grip in corners is reaffirmed. The goal is to hope to gain positions in the championship. To achieve this, it would also be necessary to provide this small team with more resources to perform better and enable the development of its single-seater throughout the season.

Moreover, the return to Renault marks the opportunity for better synergy between Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Franz Tost and more recently technical director James Key have mentioned it with the arrival of this new era. They will be able to support each other on certain aspects (engine, gearbox, suspension for example). But it will take until 2018 to see the first effects.

On the track, the Faenza firm will rely on its duo: Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat. The two men have known each other for several years and have 2 and 3 F1 seasons under their belts, indicating experience and stability. The Spaniard will need to show the same ambitions, if not more, to reach a new level. The Russian, on the other hand, will need to regain his confidence. Let’s not forget that Toro Rosso is just a stepping stone for young drivers, with others waiting in the wings, like the GP2 Champion Pierre Gasly. And unless something unexpected happens, the seats at Red Bull are locked in for the long term. In other words, a decisive year is on the horizon at all levels!

Don’t forget to vote for your top 10 drivers of this season!