Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost has hit back at criticism of his team by Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul, who has called for greater restrictions on ‘B-teams’ in Formula 1.
During the Australian Grand Prix weekend Abiteboul cited Toro Rosso as an example of the “problem” of B-teams acquiring parts from manufacturers, allowing them to be more competitive than teams who build their own parts.“Toro Rosso had no technical director for most of last season,” said Abiteboul in Melbourne. “It’s very clear what went on. So we don’t even need a technical director to produce what is a very competitive car. For us that’s a problem.”
Tost said Abiteboul should stop complaining and concentrate on making his own car more competitive.
“If someone who runs a manufacturer team is complaining that the small teams are faster, better than him, then he hasn’t simply done the homework properly,” said Tost in response to a question from RaceFans.
“Because we at Toro Rosso – I can only talk about Toro Rosso – we have from Red Bull Racing the gearbox from last year, the rear suspension from last year and parts from the front suspension. The reason why Toro Rosso is so competitive is mainly because of the fantastic power unit we have from Honda. It seems that others are not doing such a good job.
“Therefore they should not complain. They just should do their job. We have a good package together with the car, fantastic drivers and a fantastic power unit from Honda. That’s the reason why we are competitive.”
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, whose team sources similar parts from Ferrari, said the grid would be less competitive without B-teams.
“At the moment the teams which have this affiliations with the big teams they are getting closer to the top teams and that’s what it should be.
“If we are knocked down then instead of having a two-tier society it will be a three-tier. It will be the works teams, the good ones, then we’ll have the bad works teams, and then it will be us. So what have they achieved then for the sport? That is our principle.
“We don’t like to take anything away from anybody. It was there, it was decided democratically years ago that this is a model which can work, we read the rules, some other people didn’t and here we are. I think it’s a model which is really good to go forward.”
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Cheryl (@)
29th March 2019, 14:32
Grater, or greater? ;)
I think Cyril has good reason to voice his opinion tbh.
socksolid (@socksolid)
29th March 2019, 14:47
Tost makes excellent point about the absurdity of a manufacturer team complaining that non-manufacturer teams are faster than a manufacturer team. A and b teams are a problem but it is not like renault is a victim here. Only reasons why renault are not doing this is money. They simply do not have big enough war chest to buy second teams. And secondly nobody really even wants to buy anything from them. Apart from mclaren who is now the only other team using renault engines.
Guybrush Threepwood
29th March 2019, 17:17
The issue is when A and B teams pool their resources and copy one another which leaves any independent team at a significant disadvantage. Why would you enter into F1 if you know you are going to be at the bottom of the pack even though you are spending more than another team however they are one of many small teams being fed designs and parts from larger teams.
nase
29th March 2019, 14:34
Red Bull representative tells Renault representative to “stop complaining”.
Ironic, isn’t it?
nase
29th March 2019, 14:39
The cringe is real.
ColdFly (@)
29th March 2019, 14:57
ouch
BasCB (@bascb)
29th March 2019, 19:52
Funny reading that after first seeing that Max had issues with his “fantastic power unit” holding him back in FP2 today @coldfly and “nase
Patrick (@anunaki)
29th March 2019, 15:18
Nice hand
Lauri (@f1lauri)
29th March 2019, 16:22
Red Bull teams are the last ones who have any rights to talk about “stop complaining”. We’ve had more than enough complaining from them in the last years…
F1oSaurus (@)
30th March 2019, 6:12
@f1lauri Even when they were racking up the championships they were complaining all the time.
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
29th March 2019, 16:55
B-team boss complaining about a colleague complaining over B-teams
yeah…
sure
And neither Tost nor the main team have never complained about anything, right….
oh wait
they did
About Renault, just to name something
Dee (@bulsie)
29th March 2019, 17:31
What else could he say.. After all how many times can we see a Formula 1.5 team that doesn’t care about getting into the points that is so important for some other teams for whom the prize money matters..
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
29th March 2019, 17:31
The fact that B-teams are becoming the strongest contenders outside the top teams is becoming a problem. I find the whole current setup of Formula 1 twisted. F1 should aim to be economically and technically more accesible, not to encourage the teams towards still greater and greater technical convergence. If they won’t address this issue in 2021, we’re in for a lovely decade.
krxx
29th March 2019, 18:23
Guybrush Threepwood, nase, @f1lauri, @bulsie, @pironitheprovocateur
I agree with all of you.
And +1 to “The issue is when A and B teams pool their resources and copy one another which leaves any independent team at a significant disadvantage + Formula 1.5 team that doesn’t care about getting into the points that is so important for some other teams for whom the prize money matters + I find the whole current setup of Formula 1 twisted.”
There are basically only about 6 teams on the grid.
reg (@reg)
29th March 2019, 19:38
I understand that Dieter and Keith are managing the narrative of an overall discussion regarding so-called “B-Teams”, but in reading the FIA transcript, it felt more like Tost was hitting out at Zak Brown’s poorly run McLaren organization more than something directed at Renault (particularly by rubbing salt into the McLaren/Honda wound).
Robert Richards
29th March 2019, 19:53
I think personally let the b teams race, and let their drivers get points, but unless you design and manufacture your own chassis on site like Merc,Ferrari, Renault, Mclaren, William etc then you can’t collect constructor points.
How in the hell can you be called a constructor, if you don’t make your own car! Gearbox and engine is all you should be allowed to buy externally. The chassis, wishbones,bodywork and basically everything else should be made internally, to allow yourself to be classed as a constructor.
BlackJackFan
30th March 2019, 3:44
I’m not a supporter of ‘B’ teams, necessarily… but I’m an even smaller supporter of TR/RBR whines…
And I am especially bored with the media’s desire to keep reporting this stupid vendetta… which neither side will ever win… but the only hope we have for some kind of cessation is for the media to ignore it…!
It’s like kindergarten kids declaring: “My dad’s bigger than your dad…!”
Can we all grow up – please…
F1oSaurus (@)
30th March 2019, 6:30
No he didn’t. Abiteboul wasn’t even there. Tost replied to the remark Zak Brown just made before. Sure Brown was talking about the same subject and in regards to a question about Renault, but still.
McLaren was a manufacturer team before they dropped Honda. Tost took a stab at Brown for that. McLaren probably still feel like they are a manufacturer team. At least that’s how he responded to the question.
Shimks (@shimks)
30th March 2019, 6:45
No, you are wrong, @f1osaurus. Tost is clearly responding to the comments Abiteboul made earlier in the week.
F1oSaurus (@)
30th March 2019, 11:33
@shimks No I’m not. Just read the transcript on the formula 1 website.
FA
31st March 2019, 8:42
How is McL NOT still a manufacturer? LOL