2018 Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team - Honda

[fellowhoodlums]

It's good to see the Honda engine performing well and a reliable testing week 1 complete. Excellent starting point for the season, especially the good top speed improvement.

You can imagine most teams are looking to the second engine for the real performance improvements. Winter will have been aimed at reliability with small performance enhancements.

[techman]

i know this is wild prediction but i believe by mid season a podium might be possible hopefully the rate of improvement is faster than the rest

[Squid]

Does Toro Rosso-Honda have a secret weapon?
https://www.autosport.com/f1/feature/80 ... ret-weapon

Pretty much the whole article is on Franz Tost being key to getting the Toro Rosso - Honda relationship off to a solid start. There is however a VERY interesting part where Tost talks about being in a works relationship with an engine manufacturer. Specifically, he said Toro Rosso's engineers were very happy with being able to change mappings while running the engine and gearbox on the dyno. With Renault, they would get everything in a black box and wouldn't be allowed to make changes or have any input.

[etusch]

It is obvious that this is real works team, real partnership.

[Ground Effect]

i know this is wild prediction but i believe by mid season a podium might be possible hopefully the rate of improvement is faster than the rest

You're right, it's a wild prediction. At the moment, Honda is still behind everyone, they need to catch up first. The winter has been extremely encouraging so far and will build confidence up, but there is no reason to expect them to improve "faster" than the rest. They haven't so far. Renault was practically a non-moving target last season and they didn't catch up. I'm enjoying seeing them run reliably and look professional, after all the hardship they've been through. But let's keep our expectations in check. Aria san and Hasegawa san have given us enough wild predictions to last us till at least 2021 when the next generation of engines come out.

[ivanlesk]

It is obvious that this is real works team, real partnership.

Obvious to whom?

[etusch]

This partnership started very well and we see from statements of both side that they are working together very well. So it is for both side and for fans. In fact it is obvious for everyone

[j.yank]

I think many people here suffer from cognitive dissonance: even they eyewitness Toro Roso-Honda ahead of many other teams, they will still insist that Honda cannot catch them.

[Ground Effect]

I think many people here suffer from cognitive dissonance: even they eyewitness Toro Roso-Honda ahead of many other teams, they will still insist that Honda cannot catch them.

Who are they ahead of exactly? That's the point, we can't tell at this stage, there are too many variables right now. Can't we enjoy them being reliable and and acknowledge the progress they've made. I'm not getting carried away, dreaming that podiums are realistic right now. Nobody from Honda or Toro Rosso has mentioned podiums yet, let's see pre-season test 2 before making such assessments.

[ivanlesk]

This partnership started very well and we see from statements of both side that they are working together very well. So it is for both side and for fans. In fact it is obvious for everyone

We all see that this partnership (at least as is presented to us) is working very well and I'am very pleased both for Honda and TR.

But "working together very well" and "works team" are even remotely same thing. This thread (or Honda thread) would be much better and constructive without this kind of comments when testing wasn't even over and in addition this year was very difficult testing.

So, for sake of us who try to cover as many teams as possible tune the useless comments down, please.

[techman]

Nobody from Honda or Toro Rosso has mentioned podiums yet, let's see pre-season test 2 before making such assessments.

Both james key and hartley have said TR could suprise this season. so let see . i reckon by mid season TR will show good improvement. but if a podium comes it will have to be a lucky one

[j.yank]

I think many people here suffer from cognitive dissonance: even they eyewitness Toro Roso-Honda ahead of many other teams, they will still insist that Honda cannot catch them.

Who are they ahead of exactly? That's the point, we can't tell at this stage, there are too many variables right now. Can't we enjoy them being reliable and and acknowledge the progress they've made. I'm not getting carried away, dreaming that podiums are realistic right now. Nobody from Honda or Toro Rosso has mentioned podiums yet, let's see pre-season test 2 before making such assessments.

I didn't mean podiums, just that they cannot be ahead of Renault.

[Sayeman]

Podium is very unlikely this year. I say they will be around 9-10th place at the start of the season. If things go well, they will be fighting with williams and force india at the end of the year.

Torro-rosso is not the priority for Honda remember, they are not targeting podiums.

[Webber2011]

Podium is very unlikely this year. I say they will be around 9-10th place at the start of the season. If things go well, they will be fighting with williams and force india at the end of the year.

Torro-rosso is not the priority for Honda remember, they are not targeting podiums.

That's quite laughable

Do you honestly think they are not targeting the highest position possible because "Torro Rosso are not the priority"

I can just imagine Honda thinking along the lines of........
It's only Torro Rosso, let's aim for 10th.

What on earth do you base this on ? ? ?

[Sayeman]

Podium is very unlikely this year. I say they will be around 9-10th place at the start of the season. If things go well, they will be fighting with williams and force india at the end of the year.

Torro-rosso is not the priority for Honda remember, they are not targeting podiums.

That's quite laughable

Do you honestly think they are not targeting the highest position possible because "Torro Rosso are not the priority"

I can just imagine Honda thinking along the lines of........
It's only Torro Rosso, let's aim for 10th.

What on earth do you base this on ? ? ?

Honda's aim is to improve the PU as much as they can and get the RedBull deal. Sure who wouldn't take a podium, but Honda won't be going gung-ho to get a podium with Torro-Rosso. Nor should we expect them to get podiums in normal conditions. No need to set ourself for disappointment for another year. Last 3 years have been disappointing enough for me. Hasn't been a easy time for a Honda fan like myself. Fed up with huge promises and zero results.