Gasly hopes for reliable Toro Rosso-Honda in winter testing

At the dawn of his first season as a starter in Formula 1 in Toro Rosso, Pierre Gasly hopes that its new vehicle powered by a Honda engine will prove reliable from the first laps in Barcelona.

In 2018, the junior team of Red Bull abandon the power unit Renault for the benefit of that of the Japanese manufacturer, whose setbacks since its return to F1 have led to the divorce with McLaren after three nightmarish campaigns. Honda had notably experienced disastrous 2017 winter tests in terms of reliability, which seriously handicapped the British team subsequently.

« The pre-season testing program will be particularly extensive with the arrival of a new engine manufacturer, Gasly told the official Toro Rosso website. The most important thing will be to have a reliable car to rack up as many kilometers as possible and to have a good understanding of our level of performance, the engine, and the prospects for development. We only have eight days of racing before the Australian Grand Prix, which really isn't a lot. »

With his confirmation at Toro Rosso, the Norman was not idle during the off-season, even if he took a sunny break near Miami in the company of Stoffel Vandoorne and Norman Nato.

« I then went to the mountains to do a little skiing, but above all to improve my physical condition at altitude., added the 21-year-old driver, who has five Grand Prix starts. Everything went well and I am now back home in Rouen where I have just started an intense one-week training program, before going to the simulator. Five weeks of tailor-made physical work will follow before the tests. »

The 2018 winter tests are organized at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from February 26 to March 1, before a new session from March 6 to 9. The first Grand Prix of the season will take place in Melbourne on March 25.