STR ace Brendon Hartley seems happy with Honda’s power unit on the 6th day of testing from Barcelona.
If there’s anyone that Honda F1 wants to hear praise or criticism about their power unit it’s from the drive’s themselves and if Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Brandon Hartley has a say on the matter, it’s so far been all positive from the Kiwi ace. According to an STR press release that summed up Day 6 of overall testing at Barcelona that dropped earlier today (Mar. 7, 2018) Brandon Hartley only had the best statements towards Honda’s power unit.
Keep in mind that this is only his second outing with his first outing on Day 1 of testing in particularly cold conditions. But on Day 1, even though the weather was not cooperating, Hartley already managed 93 laps dropping one of the best compliments to Honda F1.
“The driveability of the engine is one of the best I’ve driven in a Formula 1 car, so it was really positive in all aspects. Absolutely no complaints from me. “
And pretty much the same sentiments carried over to today where Hartley lapped the Catalunya Circuit a whopping 119 laps while posting the fifth fastest lap of the day, 1.7 seconds off of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.
“After six days of testing, some of it affected by bad weather, I’m happy that the collaboration of Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda is working well together as one team. We hope to maintain that momentum and make further steps forward over the remaining two days.”
In an informal interview with Crash.net Hartley says that he visited the STR Factory in Faenza and was impressed with the “quiet confidence” from Honda.
“When we went to the factory three or four weeks ago I could feel there was some quiet confidence within everyone… I had high expectations before I arrived and it definitely delivered.
There are two more days of testing in Barcelona and then it’s off to Melbourne for the first race of 2018 with lights out in a little over two weeks from now.
I’ll be curious to see just how far the STR 13 progresses in these final two days of testing. If everything pans out, what a 180 it will be from Honda and McLaren.
