Toro Rosso STR13

Mark Hughes
November 20, 2018

The new Honda-engined car is an update of 2017’s STR12, still with high front wishbones. A Mercedes ‘cape’ vane beneath the nose and a much more intricate array of vanes ahead of the sidepod distinguish it from its predecessor. The side impact structure is separated out from the sidepod inlets, which lie above and behind (as per the 2017 Ferrari). It’s the car with the biggest sidepod openings of any in 2018.

There’s a return to the high nose after one season of Mercedes-like low nose, this one with visibly more area between wing and nose to feed the floor. There is some very intricate detailing on the outer end of front wing and footplate, much more so than before, reflecting the greater budget available to the team now it’s with Honda.

Barge board shapes show Ferrari SF70H influence. The ‘W floor’ (with three finger vanes feeding in behind the barge board) is inspired by the Mercedes of 2016 onwards.

Mark Hughes

Grand Prix editor

In previous lives Mark raced cars, worked at Jim Russell racing school, got a university degree which he never used, tried working in industry, didn’t like it, left and joined Motoring News in 1988 as a junior club race reporter. Went freelance in ’96, concentrated on F1 from 2000. Grand Prix editor of Autosport for 10 years.

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