Toro Rosso release their 2012 contender

Spoiler:

Good things come in threes. Well at least that is true for the Formula 1 fraternity after Scuderia Toro Rosso launched the STR7 at the Jerez circuit today.

Predictably the team follows suit of those launched before them with the stepped nose apart from McLaren.

An all-new line-up steps in to the seats at the Ferrari powered team. Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne both of the Red Bull Young Driver program are promoted in to race seats after half a season at HRT for Ricciardo and a successful campaign in World Series by Renault for Vergne.

The Faenza-based team focussed greatly on the straight line advantages of their car last years this year are striving towards finishing above 8th position of last year.

“On Saturday at 10am when loading the car I wasn’t convinced we could do it in time as there was so much snow, but we did it,” said team boss Franz Tost during the launch.

“The STR7 is the third car designed, fabricated and assembled completely by Toro Rosso. We have invested a lot of money to build up the infrastructure and I hope the results will be good in the forthcoming season. This investment was only possible because we have strong partners.

“Tomorrow we go out the first time with the new car and it is always something very special. We have two new highly skilled drivers and I am convinced both will do a very good job.

“Last year we finished eighth in constructors’ and this year we hope to do better, so seventh or more.”

The new car will take to the track for the first time tomorrow, with Australian Ricciardo taking the wheel.

Source: http://www.racedepartment.com/2012/02/scuderia-toro-rosso-unveils-str7/

Okay, well that makes TR the third team to make a nice job of creating a stepped nose. The twin "bulges" are like a more pronounced version of the ones from previous seasons, allowing the upper portion to "flow" quite nicely into the lower part.

Like the Sauber its got nice clean lines. Suffers a bit from being almost completely horizontal up to the airbox and the rear wing doesn't do it any favours, aesthetically. Last year's car had straight line speed that was up there with the front-runners. If they can add better handling and cornering, they could be regular top 10 finishers.

Of course, that reckons without the abilities of the relatively inexperienced Ricciardo and complete rookie Vergne.