Friday: Toro Rosso learns from what it has

Toro Rosso completed its first day in two years without Sébastien Bourdais. The team was working in Hungary with two rookies; Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari – Bourdais’ replacement. As expected, and despite new developments, the lap times were not satisfactory, but the drivers did their work and did it without errors.

Buemi leads his new teammate during two free practice sessions. He takes the reins of the team and must develop the significant update that occurs on the STR4. The new package involves a lot of work and is currently proving challenging for its handlers.

For his part, Alguersuari drove a lot today for his first real day of testing in Formula 1. He is last but far from ridiculous, staying just a few tenths behind his teammate. The young 19-year-old Spaniard is learning a lot and gaining confidence. Tost congratulates him.

Sébastien Buemi – 19th and 19th:

« We have the new package fitted on the car here, but it’s not like waving a magic wand. We’re not instantly faster. In fact, for now, we are trying to understand what it brings from a balance perspective. Of course, it’s better than before, and now we need to get the best out of these new features. Between today’s two sessions, we didn’t have enough time to improve the car, but tonight, we will analyze everything to have a better understanding of our possibilities. Overall, the day was positive, and I think we can be confident for the qualifications. »

« Having a new teammate did not disturb me. I just focus on driving my car. The team seems happy with it and he performed well. »

Jaime Alguersuari – 20th and 20th:

« I am quite satisfied with how my day went, especially this morning when my pace was good, and I felt comfortable. In the second practice session, my lap times could have been better, but I never had a clear track. The most complicated thing for now is my entry into high-speed corners. I need to take them faster, but that will come as my confidence and my number of kilometers increase. Every time I leave the pits, I learn and feel more confident. »

Franz Tost – Director:

Jaime [Alguersuari] did a very good job on his first day of testing in Formula 1. He completed 82 laps without making a single mistake. With each lap, he got a better result from his car, working with his engineers and his environment. I think overall it’s a good preparation for the qualifications tomorrow and for the race. Very good work.