Scuderia Toro Rosso originated from the purchase of the Minardi team by Red Bull’s owner, Dietrich Mateschitz, at the end of 2005. Mateschitz then established a 50/50 joint-ownership deal with former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger. Red Bull regained full ownership of the team in late 2008 by buying out Berger’s share. The team was established to develop promising drivers for the senior Red Bull Racing team. The use of the Italian language in the name was intended to acknowledge the team’s Italian heritage and maintain its base in Faenza, Italy, at least until the 2007 season. Despite initial resistance from Minardi fans who petitioned to retain the original name, the team was renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Toro Rosso initially utilized a modified version of the 2005 Red Bull Racing chassis, the RB1, for its first season in 2006. This sparked debate as some teams questioned whether it adhered to the Concorde Agreement, which expects each team to design its own car. Toro Rosso maintained the design had originated with Jaguar Racing (Red Bull’s predecessor) and the intellectual property rights belonged to Ford. From 2007 to 2013, the team used Ferrari V8 engines, taking over a contract Red Bull Racing had previously broken to switch to Renault. They briefly switched to Renault engines in 2014 before returning to Ferrari in 2016, then back to Renault (under ‘Toro Rosso’ branding) in 2017, and finally to Honda in 2018. Franz Tost, formerly of BMW’s motor sport division, served as team principal throughout much of the team’s existence.
Vitantonio Liuzzi scored Toro Rosso’s first point at the 2006 United States Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel achieved the team’s first and only pole position and victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix. Vettel’s strong performances ultimately led to his promotion to Red Bull Racing for the 2009 season. Other notable drivers included Sébastien Bourdais, who earned his first career points with the team, and Daniil Kvyat, who had multiple stints with Toro Rosso. Max Verstappen made his Formula One debut with the team in 2015 at the Australian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to compete in the sport at the time. Later drivers included Carlos Sainz Jr. and Pierre Gasly, both of whom were later promoted to Red Bull Racing.
The team’s most significant achievement was Vettel’s victory at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, marking the first win for both the driver and the team. The 2009 season saw the team outperform its senior Red Bull Racing counterpart, though it finished tenth in the Constructors’ Championship. The 2019 season was also a high point, with the team achieving its best ever points haul and a podium finish for Pierre Gasly at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The team experienced periods of struggle, particularly in 2012 and 2013, with limited points finishes.
At the end of 2019, Scuderia Toro Rosso was rebranded as Scuderia AlphaTauri to promote Red Bull’s fashion label. The team continues to compete in Formula One under the AlphaTauri name, and in 2024 was rebranded as Racing Bulls.
Toro Rosso served as a valuable development team for Red Bull Racing, providing opportunities for young drivers to gain experience and prove their potential in Formula One. The team provided a platform for drivers like Vettel, Verstappen, Sainz, and Gasly to launch their careers. The team also recorded a total of 500 points over its history.
Gallery · 4 related images
