The Toro Rosso STR12 has just debuted in Spain ahead of F1 pre-season testing and has undergone a comprehensive overhaul.
The most obvious difference is the new livery. No longer will there be any confusion between the Toro Rosso car and the Red Bull Racing RB13 with the STR12 now painted in a bright shade of blue and complete with silver Red Bull advertising and a selection of bright red accents.
As with all other 2017 F1 cars, the STR12 is also adorned in a selection of new downforce-generating components including revised front and rear wings, huge new tires and a prominent shark fin.
Another significant development for the Toro Rosso team is that it will be moving back to Renault engines having previously switched from Renault to Ferrari power for the 2016 season.
Speaking about the new regulations in the sport, Toro Rosso technical director James Key said, “In my 20 years in F1 it’s the biggest chassis change I can remember. In ’98 the narrow track had just arrived and there were various tweaks up to 2009, when a larger change occurred, but other than the front wing it was still based around principles that we knew. These rules however, include a track change, significantly different tyres and a new aero regulation as well. From a chassis point of view it’s all encompassing with a lot of new things to learn.”
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