Hartley: "No Real Concern"

Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley believes the new Honda engine didn’t bring up any concerns during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

The Kiwi, in his first full Formula One season, had a difficult start to the season finishing last of fifteen finishers, a lap down from the field following a puncture, but Hartley is encouraged by the Honda engines performance, saying:

"I think the Honda is pretty flexible with a bit of racecraft as well.

"Obviously DRS and top speed is a big part of making an overtake, but from what I've seen so far everything is running pretty seamlessly, from a driver's point of view there's not too much to manage.

"Everything is going in the right direction, there is no real concern from my side.

"From what I understand Honda have updates coming too.

"There's no concern from racecraft or raceability.

Hartley, who made his F1 debut in the Toro Rosso towards the end of last season, added he feels more comfortable in the new car:

"I felt really comfortable in the team, in the car,

"Much more than last year.

"Qualifying, in hindsight we probably should have done three runs, I think that would have given us the best opportunity to get through to Q2.

"Half a tenth more I would have been through to Q2 and had another shot to improve again.

"But I felt comfortable, I felt like I knew what I wanted from the car.

"From that point of view I was really happy.”