Formula One returned last week for the first four days of winter testing and this week, the second session is underway.
All ten teams that will enter the 2018 Formula One World Championship have now showed off their cars in testing in Spain.
The weather has so far offered everything, sun, rain and even snow.
Barcelona in early March might not offer the hot humid climates that the teams will face during the course of the 2018 campaign, but what did we learn?
Toro Rosso
For 2018, Red Bull Racing’s sister team Toro Rosso have become the Guinea Pigs of Formula One.
The sport could not afford to drop down to just three manufacturers, but only three manufacturers currently make competitive and reliable power-units.
Understandably, with the pedigree of McLaren, they lost patience with Japanese manufacturer Honda and opted for one of the sports main three engines.
With various deals being done between Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Renault, this left Toro Rosso with Honda for 2018.
Toro Rosso have embraced the change and why not? They have the full Japanese factory behind them and perhaps with a bigger point to prove following their dumping by McLaren.
Introducing our new #STR13! pic.twitter.com/OQwPqiFWEa
? Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) 26 February 2018
So what did the car do?
Pierre Gasly set the teams fastest lap on day two of the soft Pirelli compound, his lap of 1minute 21.318s was quicker than anything either Force India or Sauber could muster.
The cold weathers doesn’t seem to be affecting the Photographers trigger-fingers. Beautiful photo’s coming in from around the track of the #STR13 earlier this morning #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/cu7jnN1Dnk
? Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) 27 February 2018
But what about the reliability?
In the back of a McLaren, Honda would spend hours of lost time working on the car to get it out on track.
With Toro Rosso they completed 326 laps, that was more than anyone else! Even Mercedes.
‘I am reasonably satisfied with the way Test 1 went, as we were able to complete most of our programme without having any issues. I feel we have taken a positive first step in this very important first test as Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda. We now have just a few days in which to further analyse our data in order to be as well prepared as possible for the final four days of winter testing.’ Honda F1 Technical Director Toyoharu Tanabe told scuderiatororosso.redbull.com.
