Scuderia AlphaTauri S.p.A,[3] or simply AlphaTauri, was an Italian Formula One racing team and constructor that competed from 2020 to 2023. It was one of two Formula One constructors owned by Austrian conglomerate Red Bull GmbH, the other being Red Bull Racing. The constructor was rebranded for the 2020 Formula One World Championship from "Toro Rosso" to "AlphaTauri" in order to promote Red Bull's AlphaTauri fashion brand.[4] According to Franz Tost and Helmut Marko, the rebrand as Scuderia AlphaTauri also acknowledged that it had transitioned from Red Bull Racing's junior team to its sister team.[5] Throughout its history, the team has only scored one victory and two podiums, all scored by Pierre Gasly, winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix and placing third in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The team was rebranded as RB in 2024.[6]

Italy Scuderia AlphaTauri
Full nameScuderia AlphaTauri
BaseFaenza, Italy
Team principal(s)Franz Tost
Team ManagerGraham Watson
Technical directorJody Egginton[1]
Founder(s)Dietrich Mateschitz
Websitescuderiaalphatauri.com
Previous nameScuderia Toro Rosso
Next nameRB[2]
Formula One World Championship career
First entry2020 Austrian Grand Prix
Races entered83
EnginesHonda, RBPT
Race victories1
Podiums2
Points309
Fastest laps2
Final entry2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Origins

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In September 2019, Toro Rosso announced their intention to change their naming rights for the 2020 championship.[7] It was announced on 1 December 2019 that the team had selected "AlphaTauri" as their new moniker to promote parent company Red Bull's fashion label of the same name by purchasing Toro Rosso's naming rights. Thus, they became Scuderia AlphaTauri and retired the Scuderia Toro Rosso moniker after fourteen years.[8] The team's involvement in Formula One started in the 1985 season when they first competed as Minardi. The team has been owned by Red Bull GmbH since the 2006 season.[9]

Racing history

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2020

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An AT01 driven by Pierre Gasly during pre-season testing

AlphaTauri had Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly drive for them in their debut season.[10] The team remained with the Honda engine, being the team's engine partner since the 2018 season.[11] Sérgio Sette Câmara, Sébastien Buemi, and Jüri Vips were signed as the team's test drivers.[12][13][14] The team achieved its first podium finish and race victory under the AlphaTauri name at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, which also marked Pierre Gasly's first race victory and the first win for a French Formula One driver since Olivier Panis won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix 24 years prior. AlphaTauri ended the year in 7th place on 107 points, 75 for Gasly and 32 for Kvyat.[15]

2021

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For the 2021 season, AlphaTauri retained Gasly and signed Yuki Tsunoda to replace Kvyat.[16][17] Gasly scored the team's first podium of the year by finishing in third place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Gasly also consolidated this by finishing 4th at the Dutch and Mexico City Grands Prix. Tsunoda's best finish was 4th place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

2022

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Both drivers were retained for the 2022 season.[18] AlphaTauri used Red Bull-branded Honda engines due to the former's subsequent takeover of the Honda engine programme due to Honda exiting Formula One at following the 2021 season.[19]

2023

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For the 2023 season, Yuki Tsunoda was retained at the team and Nyck de Vries signed with the team with Gasly moving to Alpine after five years with the team.[20][21]

Team principal Tost left the team at the end of the season and was replaced by Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies following the team's rebranding to RB Formula One Team.[22]

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, De Vries was released from the team, with Daniel Ricciardo replacing him on loan from Red Bull Racing for the remainder of the season.[23][24][25] Ricciardo suffered a broken metacarpal on his left hand after crashing during the second practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix. As a result, Liam Lawson was brought in as Ricciardo's replacement for the events between the Dutch and Qatar Grands Prix.[26][27] Ricciardo returned for the final five races of the season, and scored the team's highest points finish with seventh place in the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.

Complete Formula One results

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Key
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Superscript
number
Points-scoring position
in sprint
Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Points WCC
2020 AT01 Honda RA620H
1.6 V6 t
P AUT STY HUN GBR 70A ESP BEL ITA TUS RUS EIF POR EMI TUR BHR SKH ABU 107 7th
  Pierre Gasly 7 15 Ret 7 11 9 8 1 Ret 9 6 5 Ret 13 6 11 8
  Daniil Kvyat 12† 10 12 Ret 10 12 11 9 7 8 15 19 4 12 11 7 11
2021 AT02 Honda RA621H
1.6 V6 t
P BHR EMI POR ESP MON AZE FRA STY AUT GBR HUN BEL NED ITA RUS TUR USA MXC SAP QAT SAU ABU 142 6th
  Pierre Gasly 17† 7 10 10 6 3 7 Ret 9 11 5F 6 4 Ret 13 6 Ret 4 7 11 6 5
  Yuki Tsunoda 9 12 15 Ret 16 7 13 10 12 10 6 15 Ret DNS 17 14 9 Ret 15 13 14 4
2022 AT03 Red Bull RBPTH001
1.6 V6 t
P BHR SAU AUS EMI MIA ESP MON AZE CAN GBR AUT FRA HUN BEL NED ITA SIN JPN USA MXC SAP ABU 35 9th
  Pierre Gasly Ret 8 9 12 Ret 13 11 5 14 Ret 15 12 12 9 11 8 10 18 14 11 14 14
  Yuki Tsunoda 8 DNS 15 7 12 10 17 13 Ret 14 16 Ret 19 13 Ret 14 Ret 13 10 Ret 17 11
2023 AT04 Honda RBPTH001
1.6 V6 t
P BHR SAU AUS AZE MIA MON ESP CAN AUT GBR HUN BEL NED ITA SIN JPN QAT USA MXC SAP LVG ABU 25 8th
  Yuki Tsunoda 11 11 10 10 11 15 12 14 19 16 15 10 15 DNS Ret 12 15 8F 12 96 18† 8
  Nyck de Vries 14 14 15† Ret 18 12 14 18 17 17
  Daniel Ricciardo 13 16 WD 15 7 13 14 11
  Liam Lawson 13 11 9 11 17
Source:[28]
Notes
  • – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.
  • – Half points awarded as less than 75% of the race distance was completed.

References

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  1. ^ "Discover The Scuderia AlphaTauri Managers!". Scuderia AlphaTauri. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  2. ^ "AlphaTauri's new name for 2024 is confirmed". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Racing Bulls S.p.A. overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Toro Rosso's name change to AlphaTauri confirmed in provisional 2020 entry list". F1. Formula One World Championship. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  5. ^ Delaney, Michael (16 February 2020). "Marko upgrades AlphaTauri from junior to sister bull team". F1i.com. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  6. ^ Fryer, Jenna (24 January 2024). "Visa enters F1 with Red Bull, rebrands AlphaTauri with wordy new team name". AP News. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Toro Rosso to be renamed Alpha Tauri for 2020 season". ESPN.com. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  8. ^ Coch, Mat (29 September 2019). "Toro Rosso to be renamed AlphaTauri for 2020". speedcafe.com. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Red Bull finalises Minardi deal". us.motorsport.com. 11 September 2005. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Toro Rosso to stick with Kvyat and Gasly in 2020". F1. Formula One World Championship. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  11. ^ Straw, Edd. "Toro Rosso announces 'multi-year' deal for Honda F1 engine supply". Autosport. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  12. ^ Khorounzhiy, Valentin (9 March 2020). "Ex-McLaren F1 Reserve returns to Red Bull fold in Test Driver role". autosport.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Sébastien Buemi". SCUDERIA ALPHATAURI. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  14. ^ "F2 racer Vips handed Red Bull and AlphaTauri reserve duties for Turkish Grand Prix". 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  15. ^ "2020". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  16. ^ "AlphaTauri confirm Pierre Gasly is to remain with the team for 2021". Formula1.com. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  17. ^ "Tsunoda to make F1 racing debut with AlphaTauri in 2021, in place of Kvyat". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  18. ^ Noble, Jonathon (10 September 2021). "Tsunoda surprised AlphaTauri handed him new F1 contract". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Red Bull agree deal to run Honda engine technology until 2025". www.formula1.com. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Gasly to race for Alpine alongside Ocon in 2023 | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Nyck de Vries to Race for Scuderia AlphaTauri | SCUDERIA ALPHATAURI". 8 October 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  22. ^ Boxall-Legge, Jake (27 April 2023). "Ferrari's Mekies to replace Tost as AlphaTauri F1 principal". www.motorsport.com.
  23. ^ "Scuderia AlphaTauri welcomes back Daniel Ricciardo". Scuderia AlphaTauri. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Ricciardo to replace De Vries at AlphaTauri from Hungary". www.formula1.com. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Ricciardo to replace De Vries at AlphaTauri from Hungary". www.formula1.com. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  26. ^ "Ricciardo to be replaced by Lawson after breaking hand". www.formula1.com. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  27. ^ "AlphaTauri confirm Lawson will race at Monza – and until Ricciardo is ready to return to action". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  28. ^ "AlphaTauri – Grands Prix started". StatsF1. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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