Scuderia Toro Rosso were due to debut their 2008 challenger in Turkey this weekend, the team having spent the first four races in a modified 2007 car. However, when the car hit the tarmac at its official first test with one of the current drivers, things didn’t go quite as well as they had been planned. The car, which comes from the pen of Red Bull’s Adrian Newey and is essentially a version of the parent team’s 2008 chassis, was running quite well. Until, that is, Sebastien Bourdais stuffed into the wall.
At the time further testing was canceled as the squad had only one chassis built. This meant that Bourdais’s team mate Sebastian Vettel didn’t get a look in, and perhaps worse, the race-debut could be delayed. And it is the latter that has come true today, with STR announcing that they will have to use the STR2b for the Turkish Grand Prix. The reason being that Bourdais’s accident has put the building of the car back, and currently the team do not have enough spare parts to field two new motors.
After Turkey, the Formula One circus heads to Monaco for the tight and twisty race around the streets of the small principality. However, STR are not sure if Monaco is the right place to debut a brand new car. While the track is slower than most and less demanding on aerodynamic parts, the fact is that a lot of drivers end up having accidents and destroyed cars litter the circuit over the course of the weekend. Further incident could only delay the new car even more.
Monaco is a question – do you bring the new car there? If you’re unlucky, you can end up with no car at the end of the week. Maybe there would be room to consider Canada. There would be no problem in getting parts to Montreal, but it’s still the worst-case scenario. Gerhard Berger, speaking to Autosport.
Bourdais appears to be doing okay with the STR2b, and I don’t think Vettel’s issues can be put down to the German having to race the old chassis. However, I’m sure the team will want to get the new car on track as soon possible, and I can see them giving it to the drivers for Monaco. The race will start on the weekend of the 23rd – 25th May, and I’m sure an announcement regarding the STR3 will be made in the preceding week.
Oh dear. Hopefully Toro Rosso will find a way of getting its new car to the races as soon as possible. Both their drivers will doubtless be happier for it.