Toro Rosso is in talks with a possible title sponsor to rebrand the engine of their 2017 car, as sister team Red Bull did this year.
The team switches back to Renault power for next season after racing with a year-old Ferrari engine in 2016.
The deal between Toro Rosso and Renault allow the Italian team to rebrand their engine, as sister team Red Bull did racing them under the TAG Heuer name after a difficult 2015.
It’s not yet known who Toro Rosso has in mind as their title sponsor, but it’s believed they’re already in negotiations with contenders.
“We have the possibility to find a title sponsor to rebrand our 2017 engine,” Franz Tost told Gazzetta dello Sport. “We are in talks with a sponsor.”
The team will get Renault’s latest specification engine though the French manufacturer has warned not to expect too much from the engine straight away. Toro Rosso do hope, however, the switch will help them fight against Williams and Force India next season.
Tost admitted that he doesn’t know yet where the team can expect to be in 2017.
“It’s hard to say something now because the rule book is completely different and we must wait for the first two races in order to have a clear situation. Nevertheless, Toro Rosso has all the ingredients to have a good season.
“We have two strong drivers and I also expect efficient aerodynamics because [technical director] James Key and his crew have done a great job in the past, and the team overall is making progress.
“The Renault engine is also more competitive than the engines we have had over the past few years.”
Development of Toro Rosso’s 2017 car is on schedule, and the team will complete a filming day ahead of pre-season testing which begins in February.
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