Shock! It’s blue and red and has red bull all over it. Toro Rosso just unveiled its 2019 the challenger the STR14.
If you were eagerly waiting eyes peeled for the first look at the STR14 hoping for revolution you must obviously be mistaken. I don’t think the livery could be classed as evolution either, sponsors aside it’s the same livery on a 2019 model. That being said, the Faenza based team has produced one of my favourite schemes on the grid since 2017 with the addition of the metallic-looking paint. It’s worked two-fold; it distinguishes itself from its big sister of Red Bull Racing and refreshes a livery that had pretty much been constant for 11 seasons. So while we gave Williams stick for unrelenting on the Martini livery, you could argue this change had been a long time coming. Contrary to Williams, Toro Rosso liveries are never going to change dramatically. As long as Dietrich Mateschitz deems Formula 1 to be a profitable and worthwhile commitment, both of his teams will match his drink, and rightly so. I guess more of the reason Williams were critiqued was because they took on an iconic motorsport partner which has been part of some classic liveries, but more on that in their preview.
Hopefully this is matched with Red Bull, but even having a similar livery on a 2019 car has tidied it up dramatically, especially the front wing where it’s now a cleanly written Red Bull. Even the barge board which is lower and longer, a 2019 regulation, looks nicer which can now be more readily picked up on a more visible livery compared to the Haas. In terms of this livery if there was a little more red, perhaps on the barge board, I may prefer it, but this is my somewhat limited and dull imagination we’re talking about here. This Toro Rosso livery is nice but I just hope it doesn’t get stale. Leave it 5 seasons of similar design, then move on – that graphic designer really is going to steal a living! Usually livery design is moderated by title sponsors which is why they usually don’t stagnate, but this won’t happen to the Red Bull teams, which can be alarming. That being said, I don’t know where they should go next, maybe to the Red Bull Cola colours, like on Youtuber Aarava’s old MyDriver series where the Toro Rossos became a turquoise colour.
Return of the Torpedo
He’s back! Helmut Marko’s personal marmite from Russia returns for hopefully another full season of racing. Daniil Kvyat has been the Red Bull driver programme Polyfilla (google it) for a couple of seasons now. The poor man can’t catch a break. I really hope he can string together a season when hopefully under less pressure. I certainly don’t think he’s on that elite tier of drivers but he certainly has the pace for F1 and it would certainly be a shame for him to be put aside for Dan Ticktum who seems next in line at Red Bull.
I always try to be as impartial as possible but Ticktum definitely isn’t ready for Formula 1, certainly at the moment and maybe never. He seems to be similar in pace to Mick Schumacher on his day, but his attitude is years off Formula 1. He actually makes Verstappen seem docile! For someone who’s stayed professional despite demotion after demotion, it would be a damn shame for Kvyat to be forced out soon as another youngster gets enough license points.
I’ve not followed Alex Albon that closely but I know he was certainly up there with Norris and Russell in last year’s F2, so he certainly deserves a shot in F1. I think this rivalry might well go under the radar. Both drivers may not have long to show who’s number 1 and it should be closely fought as you could even argue Kvyat is a rookie of sorts. Kvyat may settle quicker but as Albon grows in experience and confidence he should be close on pace to the Russian. Just a quick side note – he represents Thailand, not British Born Thailand, so can the British media stop referring to him as such? Thanks.
George Talks 