Scuderia Toro Rosso will undergo a name change at the end of the 2019 Formula 1 season, with the team’s name being changed to Scuderia AlphaTauri, the name of Red Bull’s fashion brand.
The name has been unanimously approved by the remaining nine constructors at a meeting during the Russian Grand Prix, according to Motorsport.com.
The change of name brings to an end thirteen years of the Toro Rosso name being seen in the Formula 1 paddock. Highlights of the team’s time in the sport including Sebastian Vettel‘s 2008 Italian Grand Prix victory in the wet at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, while Daniil Kvyat gave them a welcome podium finish in this season’s German Grand Prix.
Toro Rosso was born in 2006 after Red Bull’s purchase of the old Minardi F1 Team from Australian Paul Stoddart with the team running the sister team’s year-old Red Bull Racing RB1 with Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed at the helm.
In its thirteen years of existence, Toro Rosso has started the Formula 1 career of twelve drivers with six of those, Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and in more recent times Kvyat, Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon all making into Red Bull Racing after beginning their careers at Toro Rosso.
Toro Rosso also started the careers of current McLaren F1 Team star Carlos Sainz Jr, double FIA Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne and two-time 24 Hour of Le Mans winner Sebastian Buemi. They have also run Sebastien Bourdais, Jaime Alguersuari and Brendon Hartley during their time in the sport.
The Scuderia Alpha Tauri driver line-up for 2020 has yet to be confirmed but is likely to see the retention of both Kvyat and Gasly, with Albon likely to partner Verstappen at Red Bull following an impressive start to his career with the senior team.
The name change means three of the current teams have changed their name in the past twelve months, with the Sauber F1 Team becoming Alfa Romeo Racing, and Sahara Force India F1 Team becoming Racing Point F1 Team.
