The name Toro Rosso may disappear at the end of the 2019 Formula One (F1) season. The Italy-based team will race under the name Alpha Tauri, a fashion brand also owned by Red Bull for the 2020 season.
Speedweek.com quotes motorsport consultant Red Bull Helmut Marko told the Russian Grand Prix last weekend that the FIA’s governing body and commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, had agreed to the move.
“Now the application goes through various teams,” Marko said. “I hope there are no difficulties.”
There has been no official word from the team, but F1 sources confirm that the process is ongoing.
Every change in name must be approved by the FIA F1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council.
The council held its third meeting this year on Friday (10/10/2019) at Motorworld, which houses Michael Schumacher’s private collection, in the city of Cologne in Germany. The F1 commission can vote before that by email.
Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Italian translation of “Red Bull Team”, is a change from Minardi before the change of ownership in late 2005.
They won the Italian Grand Prix from pole position at Monza with Sebastian Vettel in 2008, a rare moment for teams that rely on Ferrari engine. Toro Rosso now uses Honda engines.
F1 is no stranger to a team that changes its name: Racing Point is the direct successor to Force India, which previously was Spyker, Midland, and Jordan. While Alfa Romeo was originally Sauber. Previous Mercedes champions were Brawn, Honda, BAR and Tyrrell.
The Red Bull first team was originally known as Stewart and later became Jaguar before their latest change in 2005.
This is not the first time a team has competed with a fashion brand. Benetton, formerly Toleman, won the world championship with Schumacher in 1994 and 1995 before Germany moved to Ferrari.
The team now competes as Renault, after going down the race under the name Lotus.
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