First Look - Scuderia AlphaTauri Formula 1

AlphaTauri and Red Bull racing revealed their new car and fresh look for the team in Salzburg at Hanger 7 last week in one of the most lavish and eye popping launches for a Formula 1 team featuring cars, vintage planes, models and of course; racing.

Formula 1 is among one of the fastest, and most expensive sports on the planet. Given the vast sums of money involved, team makeovers have become a regular part of the racing experience, entire rebrands, however, are a little rarer. Which is why the birth of AlphaTauri, replacing existing F1 team Toro Rosso, is something of a big deal.

With drivers already beginning shakedowns and pre season testing to begin this month, the season is quickly approaching. Ahead of the season, here are the key takeaways to give a first look in what you can expect from team Scuderia AlphaTauri this year.

What is AlphaTauri?

It’s a fashion line. Plain and simple. Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz decided to ditch the Toro Rosso moniker, which he has used ever since purchasing Minardi as his second team ahead of the 2006 season, in favor of promoting his fashion line founded four years ago.

A new name brings a new look, and with the team opting for a part matte paint finish, the clothing and car will turn heads. But while there is plenty of change from the outside, under the skin, a dedicated, true little racing team remains.

“From this side, nothing changes,” said team principle Franz Tost. “We’re even pushing more as we have a new partner, we’re an ambassador of this brand, we must perform well. The motivation in the team is high.”

Red Bull has been growing its very own premium fashion brand AlphaTauri since 2016. Renaming Scuderia Toro Rosso as Scuderia AlphaTauri marks another important milestone in the company‘s global rollout strategy. But most importantly, joint-team principals Franz Tost and Helmut Marko have also confirmed that the switch will see AlphaTauri no longer treated as the ‘junior’ team, but as a sister counterpart to Red Bull F1 Racing. 

What can AlphaTauri achieve this year?

Under their previous race brand, Toro Rosso, the team had their best-ever finish last year when they finished sixth in the constructors championship with drivers Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat each taking a podium, so Tost has set his sights on going one better this year.

“We are very optimistic for three reasons,” said Tost. “First the car showed good results in the wind tunnel, second Honda have made big gains in the winter months, from the performance side and the reliability side and third we have two very good drivers.”

While podium finishes are never guaranteed, it is not out of the realm to say Scuderia AlphaTauri is positioned to be one of the best teams of remaining when you exclude the top three powerhouses Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes in a sport with no spending cap this season.

Who will you see behind the wheel?

Scuderia AlphaTauri have a formidable driving roster, with Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly providing a compelling mix of youth and experience. Aged just 26, Kvyat actually first raced in Formula One for Toro Rosso back in 2014, alongside Jean-Éric Vergne. Following stints at Red Bull Racing and Ferrari, Kvyat is now back in the drivers seat at Scuderia AlphaTauri, enjoying six point finishes and a podium from 12 races last season.

Gasly, 24, is looking an equally good bet for 2020, making his debut for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2017 before also stepping up for a stint at Red Bull Racing. Back with the team that gave him his first seat in Formula One, Gasly impressed throughout 2019, with his best result an impressive second place at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

With a string of strong performances and podiums behind them as Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2019, things are looking good for AlphaTauri. The drivers and team are settled, there’s a stunning new chassis in the form of the Scuderia AlphaTauri AT01 and power unit manufacturers Honda have been looking increasingly strong over the past couple of seasons.