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With the current Concorde Agreement coming to an end in 2007, and the threat from the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association to form a 'breakaway' series, Formula One is in for some massive changes in the years ahead.
Whatever one feels about the future of the car manufacturers in Formula One, or indeed motor sport, it is a fact that the days of the 'privateers' are numbered.
It's widely assumed that Tyrrell was the last of the true privateers, the English team being bought by BAR, which was in turn bought out by Honda, however, Sauber, Minardi, Jordan and Williams, are also (essentially) private teams.
Sauber has been bought by BMW, while Eddie Jordan sold his team to Russian émigré, Alex Shnaider, at the beginning of 2005.
After years of struggle it was inevitable that Paul Stoddart would eventually have to face facts and accept that in the face of the car manufacturers, Minardi was facing an impossible struggle, and the only sure fact is that the Italian team would eat up more and more of his money, and fall further and further behind the competition.
In mid-2005 there was talk of a consortium, led by former F1 star Eddie Irvine, buying out the Faenza-based team, however, it was Dietrich Mateschitz' Red Bull drinks company - thanks to some 'assistance' from Bernie Ecclestone - which ended up purchasing the team.
Thus, the twenty-year dream came to an end in Shanghai, though the cars made a final appearance at Vallelunga in November, when, after four days of testing, Paul Stoddart took to the track in a PS05, an emotional moment for the Australian, Gian Carlo Minardi, and the team's many thousands of fans around the world.
The long-term future of the team is unclear, though in the short-term it will remain based in Faenza, and run as an Italian operation.
The British side of the operation has been closed down, and after just a few weeks, Red Bull was making its presence felt, appointing former BMW man, Franz Tost, as Team Principal.
Although the team was initially named Squadra Toro Rosso, this was soon changed to Scuderia Toro Rosso..
In early December, in true quirky Red Bull style, Toro Rosso announced its 2006 driver line-up, with Tonio Liuzzi leading the team, Scott Speed partnering him and Neel Jani brought in as test and reserve driver.
In November and December the team ran the 2005 Red Bull chassis, while the 'self built' Toro Rosso STR1, which appeared in February at Jerez looked remarkably similar. Though many doubted the parentage of the Italian car, according to Max Mosley the FIA was "satisfied". So that was OK then.
On the same day that the STR1 'broke cover', Toro Rosso announced that former F1 star, and BMW Motorsport Director, Gerhard Berger, had bought a 50-percent stake in the team, having sold a share of his transport outfit to the Austrian company.
In addition to the controversy surrounding the obvious fact that Toro Rosso was using the previous season's Red Bull chassis, itself basically the Last Jaguar car. Many in the paddock, most notably Midland, which was in direct competition with then Italian team, were unhappy that Toro Rosso would use the Cosworth V10.
Although all teams had changed to the new V8 configuration, Minardi had been given special dispensation to run with V10 powerplants due to its lack of money. However, not by any stretch of the imagination could the same be said of Toro Rosso. Nonetheless, as in the case of the chassis the FIA gave its blessing.
Although its power was regulated, there were times, particularly in the early stages of the season, it was felt that the Toro Rosso-Cosworth was sandbagging, saving its torque 'advantage' for the power circuits. However, as the season progressed, the 16,700 rpm Cosworth (300 rpm more in qualifying) was no match for the V8s, which were reaching 20,000.
There were other problems for the Italian team however, including the fact that the aero package was compromised by the V10, which in turn negated any advantage the Cosworth might have in terms of torque.
Furthermore, due to a lack of capacity, Michelin was unable to supply tyres for serious testing, consequently ruling out any hope of development as the season progressed. Then again, at least Toro Rosso had a 'test team, a luxury that Minardi could only dream of.
Finally, Toro Rosso had the added problem that it was running two inexperienced drivers. Although not helped by Red Bull's 'pick and mix' approach to its employees, neither Liuzzi or Speed ever looked truly capable of raising their game, should they be given the opportunity.
That said, Speed gave a good account of himself in Melbourne, while Liuzzi took a well deserved point at Indianapolis. However, particularly in the case of the Italian, there was never a moment when you thought of Alonso in his Minardi season.
Going into 2007, Toro Rosso was surrounded by controversy... not for the first time.
In what many believed to be a cynical move - albeit, according to the FIA, strictly legal - the Italian team was running virtually the same chassis as Red Bull, albeit with a Ferrari engine as opposed to Renault.
Though Gerhard Berger claimed the car to be legal, Williams and Spyker were both threatening legal action, though sources were already telling Pitpass that should palms be crossed with the right amount of dosh the threats would magically cease.
As for drivers, at the unveiling of the STR2 (RB3) at Barcelona only Liuzzi was confirmed for the new season, with Berger revealing that "contractual issues" still needed to be sorted out with Scott Speed. Though the Austrian subsequently admitted that for much of 2006 he'd been disappointed with the American's lack of commitment, and still questioned his attitude, Speed was finally confirmed as the team's second driver just days ahead of the season opener.
Running the Red Bull chassis meant that Toro Rosso inherited the problems that went with it, namely poor reliability and a lack of pace. However, on the plus side, the team secured the services of former McLaren and Ferrari engineer, Giorgio Ascanelli.
While the team had its problems on track, namely public disagreements with Scott Speed, Ascanelli and his fellow backroom boys gradually improved reliability, to the point whereby at least one of the cars was making it to Q3 by the end of the season.
The improved reliability came round about the time Speed was finally dumped, allegedly following a physical altercation with Franz Tost at the Nurburgring, and with the arrival of Sebastian Vettel.
Finally, in China it all came good, Vettel finishing a magnificent fourth with Liuzzi bringing the second car home in sixth, thereby giving the Faenza based outfit eight crucial points, enough to (ultimately) secure seventh in the Constructors' Championship.
Long before the end of the season, the team had announced the signing of four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, which, coupled with the retaining of Vettel, meant that Liuzzi was on his way out.
In all honesty, it is hard to warm to the team, even though it has some good people on board. The overwhelming feeling is that like Red Bull, Toro Rosso is Dietrich Mateschitz' plaything, his means of grabbing a few more column inches in the papers and magazines, a few extra moments on TV. One cannot help but feel that when he's had enough, achieved his goal - and we talk of sales of his drink as opposed to on-track success - like Keyser Soze… 'poof', he'll be gone.
Toro Rosso remains very much the 'little sister' of Red Bull, and we would not be at all surprised to see the Austrian company bring its driver 'pick and mix' policy back to life next year, most likely with Vettel replacing either Webber or Coulthard.
While we do expect to see an improvement in 2008, despite the unknown quantity that is Bourdais, ultimately we believe that management decisions will continue to frustrate the Faenza outfit, its drivers and its fans.
Statistics - Prior to 2008
Drivers' Titles: 0
Constructors' Titles: 0
Seasons in F1: 2
Grand Prix: 35
Wins: 0
Points: 9
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0
Best result in 2007: 4h - Vettel (China)
Best qualifying 2007: 9th - Vettel (Japan)
Worst qualifying 2007: 22nd - Speed (Spain)
2007 Average grid position: Vettel (15.28) Liuzzi (16) Speed (17.8)
2007: Liuzzi out-qualified Speed 6 times
2007: Liuzzi out-qualified Vettel 4 times
2007: Speed out-qualified Liuzzi 4 times
2007: Vettel out-qualified Liuzzi 3 times
2007: Completed: 1377 out of 2130 laps (64.6%)
2007: Finished 17 times from 34 starts (50%)
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