S. K: MONO FRANZ TOST TEAM PRINCIPAL We are satisfied with our achievements, but now we are hungry for more… S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI.C O M What is AlphaTauri? Franz Tost: “AlphaTauri is the stand-alone premium fashion brand founded out of Red Bull, which is establishing a new way in the clothing industry that intersects fashion and function. It blends considered design and premium materials with textile innovations. Scuderia AlphaTauri gains an important supporter to be feeling great while working and looking well-dressed too in Scuderia AlphaTauri team wear. We share the same ambitions and we want to grow further together. It’s a big opportunity.” Will the new partnership and name change have any effect on the operational running of the team? FT: “The name change has no effect on the way we operate as a Formula 1 team at the race track or our facilities in Faenza and Bicester, but it is a very significant change in terms of how we present ourselves to the outside world: new name and new colours (white and navy blue), to mark a new long-term partnership which will be beneficial for both parties. Our new team wear will help all our team members deliver the best possible performance and feel comfortable in all weather conditions around the world, thanks to the wide range of purposeful clothing.” The team has improved a lot along the years and what do you expect to come next? FT: “In terms of results, since Red Bull bought the Minardi team in 2005 to establish Scuderia Toro Rosso, our team has developed a lot to reach the level of performance we have today. In 2019, we had a very successful season with two podiums and finished 6th position in the Constructors’ Championship, it was a fantastic year for us and our best season since 2008. We are satisfied with our achievements, but now we are hungry for more, we made excellent progress on the technical front and in terms of how we manage the race weekend, so we intend to build on that to improve further. “2020 will be a special challenge for all the teams, as we have to develop two car concepts because of the new regulations for 2021. For smaller teams like ours, S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M in terms of resources and personnel, we will have to face the complex task of finding the right balance between pushing forward on the development of this year’s car – the AT01 – and working on its successor for 2021, a year which heralds a new era for Formula 1 as it will undergo radical changes, not least in terms of the technical regulations that apply to the design of the cars. This does not have to distract us from our big task to look into every detail at every race to avoid mistakes as much as possible and take any opportunity that may arise in such a tight midfield pack.” Will you still continue the synergy project with Red Bull Technologies? FT: “Yes, we will continue to work closely with Red Bull Technology in Milton Keynes who provides us with the complete hydraulic system, front and rear suspension, and the gearbox in 2020. This cooperation has been working really well last year as the level of engineering is very high and the parts they provided increased our reliability. Thanks to the synergies programme, our technicians in Faenza and Bicester can focus more on the details of those parts, which really can make the difference and give us more performance. “Due to minor modifications to the sporting regulations in terms of how many components one can share with another team, some of the parts, for example the brake ducts which we could share last year, will have to be produced in-house now, which means their design and manufacture has involved more work in both Faenza and Bicester. I’m confident our technical group will continue to improve and deliver a good and reliable car to our drivers.” Talking about drivers, you have quite an experienced pair this season… FT: “Continuity is important for a team and we benefit from that also on the driver front, with Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat once again in the cockpit. In fact, by the end of last year, Daniil had driven more races for this team than any other driver, and our duo together represents the most experienced one in our team’s history. Both drivers proved to be quick, showed fighting spirit and they are still eager to show to the world what they can do in this sport. So, new name, same team and we can’t wait to see more action this season!” JODY EGGINTON TECHNICAL DIRECTOR We’re working together with Honda and Red Bull Technology to make sure that everything is as integrated as possible. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI.C O M Does our brand-new team name mean a brandnew car for 2020? Is Red Bull Technology still involved in the process of producing our new car? Jody Egginton: “AT01, our first AlphaTauri car, can best be described as a strong evolution of what we put in place for STR14, the 2019 car. That’s because the changes to the technical regulations for 2020 are fairly minimal. So there’s nothing fundamental which has required a massive re-think. The focus has gone on pushing forward all the main priorities in terms of packaging the PU, packaging suspension, the systems and integrating all of that together to take the car to the next level and to give us maximum aero freedom.” JE: “Yes, we’ve had to adapt the 2019 Red Bull rear end into our chassis package but that’s part of the game each year, whether it’s a new part or something you’re inheriting from another team. It’s a small detail but the gearbox has actually had to be re-homologated because of changes made on PU packaging, but to all intents and purposes it’s the same. The inboard front suspension and uprights are also from last year’s Red Bull, while the suspension members and associated brackets are AlphaTauri Designed & Manufactured. The hydraulics and other parts related to that also come from Red Bull. One small change to the regulations for 2020 concerns brake ducts: the brake ducts front and rear are now classified as listed parts, so these are AlphaTauri-designed and manufactured parts for 2020.” You mention packaging the Power Unit as an important area. How important is continuity in terms of your work with Honda? JE: “When it comes to PU packaging, the key is continuity as this will be our third year together with Honda. The second year already bore more fruit, which was clearly going to happen, after a pretty successful first year together. This third year gives us the opportunity to take that a step further. We have the opportunity, due to our relationship with them, to really maximise the integration of the PU into the chassis package. We are not just given a PU that we have to mount as best as we can. We’re working together with Honda and Red Bull Technology to make sure that everything is as integrated as possible.” How would you describe the philosophy behind AT01? JE: “The areas we have really focused on are further integration of PU and other mechanical items into the chassis. The reason behind that is to give the aero guys more freedom to develop, without us having to make costly, in-season, non-performance-enhancing updates. So, the main focus has been on getting everything packaged as tight as it can be. That’s been a big push. We’ve attempted in a couple of ways to make the car a little bit more serviceable but overall, we’ve had to come up with some smart solutions to make the car serviceable, because everything is very tight.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M What were the goals the team set itself in terms of the design of AT01? JE: “Twelve months ago, one of the aims we had set ourselves was to maintain our level of competitiveness in the second half of the year. We actually increased our competitiveness in the second half of 2019 and that was down to a combination of aero and PU updates. It was an important step. We proved to ourselves we could improve the car consistently through the year. We’ll take the same approach with this car as well. However, this year we also need to have one eye on the 2021 regulations, so it’s unlikely we will develop AT01 in exactly the same way as STR14 but that’s the challenge. The main thing to keep focussed on is aero development. The tyres are a constant, so aero is the battleground for 2020.” Apart from the aero you just mentioned, tyre management often seems to be the deciding factor in races. What’s happening on that front this year? Jody Egginton: “The plan had been for Pirelli to introduce a development for this year and the rationale for wanting to do so was sound, in as much as it would have provided an opportunity to maybe address some of the comments regarding overheating and tyre degradation. But at the same time, 2020 is the last year run to this current set of regulations, so a change of tyre would have led to a lot more work, which would then have to be done again under the new tyre regulations, so you could argue why do it now? Also, looking at the competitiveness of the midfield, six teams were fantastically close together, which is good for the sport and a tyre change might have had an impact on that. The result of the two tests last year in Austin and Abu Dhabi did not tick the boxes to go with a new tyre for 2020, so it’s the right decision, because I think it could have just been a change for change’s sake. The new wheel/tyre size is already set for 2021 and Formula 2 is running that new size this year and we will learn from it, so keeping the existing tyres is the right thing to do.” Would you care to guess how well we will do this year? JE: “It’s too early to make predictions for the coming season, but in terms of our drivers, we’re in good shape with our most experienced ever line-up across the two cars, in terms of numbers of Grands prix done. That’s quite positive, because knowing both guys well means there are fewer variables there. We’ve got pretty much the same engineering team. There’s some small changes but nothing that has not been planned for.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M PIERRE GASLY We must continue to push and it will be important to perform consistently, scoring points throughout the season. We have to seize every opportunity, just as we did last year. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M The start of last year was complicated for you, but your season ended in great style. Do you feel stronger because of it? Pierre Gasly: “2019 was an interesting year as a lot of things happened, both on a professional and personal level. I feel like I grew and learned a lot, so to get that second place in Brazil, Toro Rosso’s second best result ever over 14 years in F1, really rounded the season off in the best possible way. I was very happy with the way we worked and the way things went and now, I’m more than excited about this new season, which I’d like to start in the same way in which we finished 2019.” Do you believe the team can keep that momentum going forward? PG: “Definitely, as the team is pretty much the same as before and everyone is very motivated and focussed with a really good dynamic throughout the company and you can feel it in the factory. Everyone is very excited about the 2020 car and wants to do even better than in 2019.” It seems as though last year the team was really able to keep developing the car throughout the season. Was that an important factor? PG: “It’s a bit hard for me to assess the full evolution, as I joined the team mid-season, but overall it’s true that, between Daniil and I, we regularly picked up points in the second half of the season. I believe the way the team went about developing the car improved a lot, even from 2018 to ’19. The working methods and the way we approached the race weekend was clearly a step forward and it was a real pleasure to work with them. We are all on the right path for 2020 but we need to wait and see how pre-season testing goes. Having said that, last year’s performance owed a lot to how we worked and so I believe we can continue in this dynamic way.” From your side, have you also evolved a lot? Have you still got a lot to learn? PG: “There is always something to learn. This will only be my third season in Formula 1. I feel better pre- S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M pared than last year, as I have a bit more experience. Towards the end of the year, together with the people in the team, we really discovered how to understand what we needed from each other and how to get the most out of our package. We must continue to push and it will be important to perform consistently, scoring points throughout the season. We have to seize every opportunity, just as we did last year.” Of the four drivers in the Red Bull family, you are the one with the longest history with Honda. How did the relationship evolve last year and what do you expect from them this season? PG: “It’s really impressive what Honda did last year, starting with their first win since they returned to Formula 1 in 2015. It proves that all their hard work over the past years has been rewarded. For me, getting that podium with them, as a midfield team, shows that Honda has really helped us to grab these opportunities. They have continued to work very hard, to bring us even more power, so it’s very promising. They are great to work with and we share the same goals with everyone giving their maximum effort.” We are about to tackle the longest season in the history of F1. How do you feel about that? PG: “I love racing and it’s what makes me happy, so this looks like being a really exciting year. It’s true that it’s going to be a very busy season, but I see that as an additional opportunity to get a good result. I just want it to start now. I’m impatient!” Any thoughts on the new name for the team? PG: “One of the many reasons why I decided to move to Milan is that I like fashion a lot, so I’m more than happy for the team to partner with AlphaTauri. I can’t wait to see and wear the new team kit, which I’m sure will be a big step in quality, fit and comfort. I know the brand and their approach to what they do so I’m really excited. For the team, a new story is just beginning and it’s a pleasure to be involved right from the start. The team stays the same, so it will be important to give AlphaTauri a good start in life. It’s exciting to see what lies ahead of us.” DANIIL KVYAT I wouldn’t say I’ve set myself any specific targets for this year, I want to keep doing what I was doing, but better. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M How excited are you to be racing for Scuderia AlphaTauri in 2020? Do you think that a top-five finish will be achievable for the team overall? Daniil Kvyat: “I’m very excited to go racing again. This is going to be my sixth year in Formula 1, which is a fantastic feeling. Even though technically speaking, the core of the team stays the same, the name has changed with AlphaTauri stepping in. But while the team and the car will have a different look, technically, the AT01 is pretty much an evolution of last year’s STR14, which already worked well. Having that as a starting point, our aim is to improve it and move forward as much as possible.” DK: “You always want to improve on the previous season. Considering how tight the midfield battle was and not knowing if and how we have all progressed it’s impossible to predict, but I expect a big show on track and we want to be leading the midfield pack. We should just try to perform well at every race and that will bring us a strong season like it did last year.” What’s the first item of AlphaTauri clothing on your wish list? The season is incredibly busy - 22 races, 7 weekends back to back when you have a race. There’s going to be lots of drama. DK: “I’ve actually already been wearing AlphaTauri clothes since last year, I especially like the sweaters as they’re comfortable and nice to travel with, I use them on a lot of my flights. It’s very exciting to partner with a clothing brand I personally like a lot. I like the style and the quality and once you wear it you understand why it “fits body and mind” …and I really mean it!” DK: “I think it should be a really exciting season for the fans and for us drivers. There were many dramatic races last year. I think now with the field being so competitive and so tight at the front and in the midfield, we’re going to have some races where there’s going to be a lot happening. I hope that trend is going to stay because there may be some opportunities for us to grab some bigger points. Let’s see how we handle 22 races, in what’s going to be the longest season in F1 history.” Last year was incredibly successful for you. For this season, what are your personal goals you’d like to achieve? There are two new races - one in Vietnam, one in Holland. What are you expecting from those tracks? DK: “I wouldn’t say there is anything in particular. You can always improve yourself, so I’ll keep working on that and my personal improvement as a driver, try to get as many good finishes for the team in order to help secure a good position in the championship. 2019 was a good year for me, with ten top-10 finishes and a podium finish in Hockenheim, so it’s definitely a year to remember, but there’s obviously room for improvement. I wouldn’t say I’ve set myself any specific targets for this year, I want to keep doing what I was doing, but better.” DK: “I’m looking forward to the two new venues in Holland and Vietnam. I’ve raced at Zandvoort in my junior days when I was competing in Formula Renault 2.0 and I won a race in Formula 3, so it will be good to go back there. Vietnam looks like a very interesting configuration. I would expect something similar to Baku. At every street circuit there can be a lot happening, so it should be fun.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M You are 25 years old now. Do you feel like you’re coming into the prime of your career now? Daniil Kvyat: “I think I’m working hard to come into my prime. Every year I always find something new that I can work on and improve, it’s a constant evolution of myself. I feel like last year was a good year for me in terms of personal discoveries, understanding what works for me and what doesn’t. I think in terms of my performance, I feel like I’m always quite happy with what I manage to squeeze out of the car, but I think it’s very hard to identify your prime. I’ll keep working on my personal improvement as a driver and try to get as many good finishes as I can.” Are you expecting a super close battle with your teammate Pierre this year? DK: “I think so, that’s how it usually goes between teammates. Last year, I had two during the year and both of them are very competitive, very fast guys. Pierre is a very competitive and fast driver, so of course I expect it to be close.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M AHMET MERCAN GENERAL MANAGER ALPHATAURI & GLOBAL HEAD OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS RED BULL Innovation is key! Within the F1 environment AlphaTauri can progress and strengthen its pioneering approach. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M Why has AlphaTauri decided to get involved with an F1 team? Where is the inspiration for the teamwear taken from? Ahmet Mercan: “The engagement of AlphaTauri in the premiere class of motorsports is a strategical and long-term decision. As a fashion brand AlphaTauri fuses fashion and function with innovation and the F1 environment allows AlphaTauri to progress and certify its innovations and textile technologies. All learnings and gained knowledge within this pioneer hub will be translated into the core AlphaTauri collections.” AM: “The basis for the AlphaTauri teamwear collections is profound research about the needs of a clothing line in order to enhance the performance of the F1 team. If you have a look at the number of different climate zones, the tough weather conditions and versatile structure of the team members with their very unique and different work day in and day out over the course of a F1 season, it gets very clear that the clothing needs to fulfil a number of features and functions to support highest performance plus comfort during the races whilst looking amazing. This challenging and high performing environment is the perfect platform for AlphaTauri to further develop its textile technologies, innovative fabrics and smart features. All the gained insights will then be reflected in the regular inline collections of AlphaTauri. Ultimately it is about great cut and fit, luxurious natural and techno fabrics, and functionality that makes the clothing useful as well as beautiful.” What are the key objectives that AlphaTauri want to achieve with this partnership? AM: “AlphaTauri is creating its own path in the fashion industry whilst intersecting fashion and function. The collections offer an added value for the consumer through innovative functionality and self-engineered technology translated on high-quality fabrics for stylish clothing. To build the brand, strong longterm partnerships are crucial as well as partnerships that challenge the status-quo of e.g. smart functionalities, look & feel of materials and new technologies. This can only happen in an environment of innovators, creators and pioneers with a shared mind-set such as the F1 motorsports sector.” How can AlphaTauri self-optimize and progress? AM: “AlphaTauri’s mission is to grow its innovations and pioneering approach to fashion. The teamwear collections will reflect this sophisticated aesthetic of the brand and will be worn in a perfect environment for progressing the newest high-quality materials, smart features as well as textile innovations and technologies. Through F1 AlphaTauri will be able to further develop the true strength of its clothing and let all these insights be an integral part of the inline collections of AlphaTauri.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M Is there always one collection per F1 season or do you foresee more drops? AM: “With the start of the 2020 F1 season we will start with one collection per season. The team wear is worn by the Scuderia AlphaTauri team members in the factory as well as in the Paddock which have different purposes. The team wear collection consists of technical jackets and sweater with smart features to be combined with techno pants and complemented by ultra-soft T-Shirts and Tops. Purposeful design that supports the performance of the entire team and at the same time highest level of comfort is key.” Can the teamwear of Scuderia AlphaTauri be bought? Ahmet Mercan: “AlphaTauri has designed the Replica Lifestyle Collection inspired by the official teamwear, which will be available online and in the official F1 merchandise areas at every Grand Prix. The collection features a total of 13 styles and offers various tee-shirts, polo shirts as well as sweaters and jackets. The colour concept follows the teamwear collection with sophisticated navy and white.” Where can the fan-merchandise be bought? AM: “The Replica Lifestyle Collection will be available during the entire F1 season in the official F1 merchandise areas as well as in the Red Bull Stores and online at redbullshop.com.” Does AlphaTauri and Scuderia AlphaTauri have a lot in common? AM: AlphaTauri and Scuderia AlphaTauri share a common mind-set of permanently challenging the status-quo in order to grow. AlphaTauri is creating its own path in the fashion industry and similarly Scuderia AlphaTauri is an F1 racing team which is also creating its own path with their pioneering approach to young drivers through the Red Bull Junior Programme, a portal to F1 whilst delivering professional technological excellence.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M As AlphaTauri is not a Sportswear-Brand but a Fashion brand: what is fashionable about Formula 1? AM: “F1 is the most prestigious league of motorsports and is rooted in innovation and lifestyle. AlphaTauri combines fashion with innovation and is even more so powered by innovation, as the brand is always exploring new fields and constantly looking for new challenges, the F1 environment offers an ideal platform to innovate and grow the brand. At Scuderia AlphaTauri style and elegance both in design and engineering comes together within an environment that appreciates style and functionality. With this powerful fusion AlphaTauri introduces a new design language to the paddock whilst the styles support the teams in their performance.” ABOUT ALPHATAURI : AlphaTauri is the stand-alone premium fashion brand founded out of Red Bull, which is establishing a new way in the clothing industry that intersects fashion and function. It blends considered design and premium materials with textile innovations. The brand works with unique and innovative fashion technologies and collaborates with high-end experts around the globe. AlphaTauri is shoppable in its stores in Salzburg and Graz, at selected retail stores as well as online at alphatauri.com. SCUDERIA ALPHATAURI: With the renaming of the former “Scuderia Toro Rosso” to “Scuderia AlphaTauri”, AlphaTauri will start its engagement in Formula 1. The Italian based Formula 1 Team is very excited to be joining forces with AlphaTauri and continue it`s close partnership within the Red Bull Family as a logical consequence of its shared DNA. In parallel with Scuderia AlphaTauri unveiling of the new car for the upcoming season (helmets and driver`s kit), AlphaTauri will launch innovative 2020 teamwear, which introduces a new design language to the paddock whilst marking a key milestone in the global rollout strategy of the fashion brand. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M TOYOHARU TANABE HONDA F1 TECHNICAL DIRECTOR I believe we can make a step forward and our aim is to obtain even better results than we did last year. S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M Another season working together is just round the corner, how would you sum up the relationship between Honda and our team? Toyoharu Tanabe: “2020 is our third consecutive season with this team and we are very much looking forward to it. Ever since we first began working together, back in the winter of 2017, it was immediately obvious to all of us at Honda that we were dealing with an organisation that was keen to share everything with us and even to understand the Japanese way of working. It is a true partnership and right from the 2018 season, it began to deliver results. Last year, in its final season as Toro Rosso, it had its best result for over a decade, the highlights being the third and second place in Germany and Brazil respectively.” What factors led to that obvious progression? TT: “Those results came thanks to improvements on the chassis, aero and PU side. But it also owed a lot to the excellent working relationship, when every problem was an opportunity to learn and every success was shared between us. Supplying two teams last year, with both of them part of the same family, linked by Red Bull Technology, allowed us to up the speed of our development and that is something that will carry over into this season. Everyone at our facilities in Sakura, Japan and Milton Keynes, UK has been working very hard to get even more power out of our PU. Of course, power is nothing without reliability and this year, that is even more challenging as the calendar will be the longest ever in F1, with 22 races.” S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M Can we do even better this year? TT: “The technical regulations relating to the PU have hardly changed since last year. Therefore, we have been able to make progress based on the experience we gained across all four of our cars in 2019. I believe we can make a step forward and our aim is to obtain even better results than we did last year. In any sport, your performance can only be judged in relation to that of your competitors, so until we start racing, it’s impossible to predict just how successful we can be. I’m sure the new name, Scuderia AlphaTauri will generate a lot of interest, but behind it, I know everyone shares the same fighting spirit that has served us well over the past two years together.” AT01 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OFFICIAL CAR NAME: AT01 ENGINE: Honda RA620H CHASSIS: Scuderia AlphaTauri - carbon composite monocoque FRONT SUSPENSION: Scuderia AlphaTauri - carbon composite wishbones. Red Bull Technology - upright assemblies with pushrod, inboard torsion bars and dampers REAR SUSPENSION: Red Bull Technology - carbon composite wishbones with pullrod operated inboard torsion bars and dampers BRAKE DUCTS: Scuderia AlphaTauri - front and rear STEERING: Scuderia AlphaTauri/Red Bull Technology - power assisted GEARBOX: Red Bull Technology - carbon composite maincase longitudinally mounted, hydraulically actuated 8 speed DIFFERENTIAL: Hydraulically actuated multiplate CLUTCH: Hydraulically actuated carbon multiplate EXHAUST: Honda BRAKE SYSTEM: Scuderia AlphaTauri/Red Bull Technology DRIVER’S SEAT: Scuderia AlphaTauri - driver specific carbon composite TYRES: Pirelli FUEL SYSTEM: Scuderia AlphaTauri /Red Bull Technology OVERALL WEIGHT: 746 kg S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI .C O M HONDA DRAFT HIJTIJIJBS 5219 f? I I LLI CASIO randstad R95 RIIRIEDEL SCUDERIA ALPHATAURI S.P.A. Via Boaria 229 - 48018 Faenza (RA) - Italy +39 0546 696111 MEDIA CONTACTS media@scuderiaalphatauri.com S C U D ER IAAL P HATAU RI.C O M