Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost does believe the newest specification Honda engine is enough of a performance step to move ahead of Renault in the power stakes.
Dubbed the ‘Suzuka Special’ by some ahead of the company’s home race this weekend in Japan, the Spec 3 was tested in Friday practice in Sochi with Pierre Gasly sitting comfortably inside the top 10.
A final decision on whether it will be used at Suzuka will come later this week, with Honda engineers completing further tests in the factory after some niggles were found, but the consensus from the junior Red Bull team is this is the moment when the company justifies their return.
“Honda is making big steps forward,” Tost told Motorsport.com.“It is in front of Renault. [The] complete package.
“We had it in the car Friday, but we have to start from the back of the grid and then we decided we go back to Spec 2 just to save some mileage and to make some fine-tuning.”
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Despite the caution by Honda F1 chief Toyohari Tanabe about its permanent introduction, the Austrian boss insisted: “In Suzuka, we will have it.”
All this will be music to the ears of Red Bull, who continually point to the potential of the Japanese manufacturer to justify their reason to spit with Renault after this season.
The lingering doubts of Daniel Ricciardo might have caused him to leave but Max Verstappen is well on board the hype train.
“As soon as everything was confirmed, that we were going to run with Honda next year, for sure you pay a lot of attention to it.” the Dutchman said.
“You could see definitely the steps they were making and this weekend was a very positive one.”