After Brendon Hartley‘s successful shakedown run at Misano last Wednesday, Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda have formally launched the new STR13 at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona.
New Zealander Hartley has also been in the car for the morning session of the first official winter test, completing 72 laps – one less than Nico Hülkenberg‘s leading total of 73 – in an impressive morning for the Red Bull sister team.
The STR13 is powered by a works Honda engine, with the Japanese manufacturers seeing their broken relationship with the McLaren F1 Team finally end last September. McLaren have inherited Toro Rosso’s customer Renault Sport engine deal.
The eye-catching metallic dark blue livery that was introduced last year stays for 2018, as does the driver line-up that ended the 2017 Formula 1 season.
After numerous changes to the roster last year, Pierre Gasly and two-times World Endurance champion Hartley will be hoping to be seen as more settled features in their first full seasons in the sport.
Toro Rosso endured a nightmare end to 2017, losing out on sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship to the Renault Sport Formula 1 Team at the final round in Abu Dhabi.
