SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO-COSWORTH

RR: Scuderia Toro Rosso have bought Minardi, and there was a small tear around the paddock when Minardi completed their final test in November.

NDR: Paul Stoddart will be missed too and Minardi were a great team. However STR are essentially the same team, but under a different banner and new leadership so they might actually begin to get the accolades they deserve. Having Tonio Liuzzi - an Italian, a good one at that, in the team will be great, and I really rate Scott Speed too-he IS good. Got the right mixture of the winning mentality as well, selfishness and arrogance with the ability to back that up. I reckon he could be F1's NEXT CHARACTER, although more negative in the Villeneuve stereotype. Going against the authorities kind of player. I think he will be strong against Liuzzi.

RR: Agreed they will move up the grid, and the chassis they are using was very capable last year. I expect them to be above the main Red Bull team, at least at the start of the season, as Red Bull have reliability issues, while Toro Rosso, with a reliable chassis and restricted V10 engine should pose no issues.

NDR: Really? Actually, I'm going to have to side with you on that. Parts maybe tested on the STR first. My only doubt is in the distribution of the wealth. I mean, running one team is hysterical in itself - so too for Mateschitz is going to be big. If he could actually put the teams into a position that they could actually monopolise a podium that would be very special, but that won't happen yet, or at all.

RR: Well admitted that would be an amazing sight, but I think we will have to wait a while for that. However I look forward to seeing how the 2 cars will be developed through the season.

NDR: One last doubt. It is of my opinion that Midland are ready to protest the teams use of the restricted V10's. They are not happy at all that they are running ahead of them in testing or so it seems. If this happens, it could de-stabilise them. Or it could work the other way - and they will get the same horses as the senior team. And what of the possibility of driver swapping in the season - if Klien under performs, or dare I say it, DC!

RR: Well it's an interesting possibility, although I can't see it happening myself, and I doubt the FIA would look to kindly. The main problem here, is that the V10 engines could be subject to further restriction by the FIA , do you think the V10's may possibly be more powerful than the V8's?

NDR: At some circuits yes. I am not completely aware on the technical side that I will be able to back that up with full explanation, but I will say that in Bahrain in might cause some controversy. Just a fairly educated guess, but nothing more than that.  

RR: Yeah, that's what I'm expecting. Will the team carry on in the same spirit as Minardi, or do you expect them to move on a bit?

NDR: Move on a bit. Nothing stays the same in Formula 1. It clearly never has, and clearly never will. Minardi has to develop if they to succeed amongst the rest, and that means as a sad consequence they may lose some of that family atmosphere/structure they enjoyed in its previous incarnation.

RR: Agreed on that one. I think what can be sure, is that the rivalry between Red Bull and Toro Rosso is going to be very interesting, and I for one look forward to the rivalry.

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