The Last of its Kind: The Toro Rosso STR1

With 2026 and its brand new regulations not too far away, it’s looking like we’ll be seeing fundamental engine layouts and configurations mostly remain the same until at least 2030 - that is a turbo-hybrid 1.6L V6, putting out 1000hp on average. That sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? After all, these are the most advanced cars we’ve seen to date in Formula One. There is one glaring problem however: the sound (or rather the lack thereof!)

Since roughly the dawn of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, the cars have become noticeably quieter, at least from what can be heard on broadcasts. 2013 was the last year we saw the usage of V8 engines, which were brought in in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs and reduce power for the sake of safety. Despite fans missing the roar of the engines of yesteryear, it’s not looking like we’ll see these machines in action any time soon as F1 seems to be heading into a more environmentally-conscious direction, although there are still some questionable decisions being made around what the sport is doing to help.

We thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at the end of an era and shine the spotlight on an often forgotten car in Formula One’s long-running history - the Toro Rosso STR1.

Humble beginnings

Red Bull had burst onto the scene in 2005 under the leadership of Christian Horner, after acquiring the Jaguar name (formerly Stewart) in November of 2004 and securing a lineup of David Coulthard and Christian Klien for their first season of many to come. Finishing a respectable 7th at the end of their first season, the team decided to set up its own sister team to allow for young and upcoming drivers to prove their worth in the sport.

Then team owner of Minardi, Paul Stoddart claimed he would sell the team to the right buyer so, after a reported forty-one approaches by other companies, Red Bull became the new owners of the Faenza-based team. This acquisition was announced by Red Bull after weeks of speculation on 10th September 2005.

A new face at a time of change

The newly-named Toro Rosso team unveiled their 2006 challenger, the STR1, on 9th March that year - with a striking livery of Red Bull colours and a large red bull (literally) down both sides of the engine cover and overhead air intake. It’s definitely one of those liveries that might’ve looked a bit lairy and over the top at the time, but you have to agree looking back at it now that the design actually isn’t so bad. We’re definitely missing some of that pzazz in F1’s current liveries!

The new team’s driver lineup consisted of Vitantonio Liuzzi, the 2004 F3000 champion who had done enough to catch the eye of a few Formula One teams, and Scott Speed, the sport’s first American driver at that point since Michael Andretti in 1993. Swiss driver Neel Jani took the third/test driver role for the year.

The chassis used was a modified version of Red Bull’s RB1 from the year prior and was designed by Mark Smith, Rob Taylor and Ben Agathangelou, the latter two of whom are currently at Haas as designer and aero boss respectively.

What made the STR1 so special?

There’s a simple answer for that - the FIA’s sporting regulations for 2006 outlawed the usage of V10 engines and introduced the V8 to replace them - again, this was done in an attempt to bring down manufacturing costs across the field. Minardi, the team Toro Rosso used to be, had agreed with the FIA that they could use a rev-limited V10 for 2006 due to cost issues, so when Red Bull bought the team out, this agreement stood.

Nerdy details alert! The STR1 used a Cosworth Racing TJ 2005 3.0L V10 engine, limited to 16,700rpm, pushing out 735hp despite its potential to produce 915hp. It partly looked something like this:

There were questions around the team being permitted to use an engine of more cylinders - then BAR Honda’s Chief Executive Nick Fry expressed his concern pre-season, speculating that if Toro Rosso saw success and a pace advantage from using limited V10s rather than V8s, then other teams may follow suit and create a performance deficit on the grid. This FIA agreement was dubbed the ‘Equivalency Formula’.

“At the moment, those running V8 feel that the restriction is a bit too generous … The FIA will now make a decision. Hopefully, it will come out fair - fair to everybody. **That is all we ask**.”

*Nick Fry on the FIA’s equivalency formula*

As it turned out, the team’s usage of this engine didn’t bring them much success. In their first season, their only point was claimed at the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a year after the controversial weekend at the same circuit where 14 cars withdrew from entering the race on Sunday due to lobbying from Michelin tyre-running teams after several crashes in practice sessions. Said crashes were the result of tyre blowouts and punctures caused by the combination of insufficient durability of the Michelin-provided rubber and the resurfacing of the track, making it much more abrasive and harsh for tyre wear. Maybe one for another article!

A roaring farewell

We of course haven’t seen a V10 officially run in a Formula One race since the STR1’s final appearance at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix (which was Micheal Schumacher’s final ever race for Ferrari) and it’s fair to say that the future for these screaming engines we so dearly miss is quite bleak. We reckon our only chance at seeing them brought back to life in motorsport may be through the use of either hydrogen or advanced synthetic/biofuels that Shell are developing for Formula One, which is a real shame as many believe that their sound and power lend to part of the excitement and spectacle of the sport.

We watch Formula One to see the pinnacle and bleeding edge of motoring technology put to the test by the world’s greatest drivers; the V10 era (1996 - 2005) and its deafeningly loud sound are a personification of exactly that. So, the next time you think too harshly of the team’s current state as Visa CashApp RB (yikes!), just remember that we have them to thank for the final hurrah for the V10 that was the STR1.