Hartley: Toro Rosso can repeat Bahrain performance

After a superb performance from the team in Bahrain that culminated in Pierre Gasly finishing fourth, Gasly’s team-mate Brendon Hartley believes that the team can repeat the show in future races.

Toro Rosso seem to be thriving with the Honda engines that had blighted McLaren over the past three years, so much so that senior team Red Bull have been linked with Honda engines, with Daniel Ricciardo saying that Honda are making themselves “attractive” to his team.

Hartley has put Toro Rosso’s pace down to changes the team made to the car between the Australian and Bahrain Grands Prix.

“The updates and the set-up change we made drastically improved the car,” said the New Zealander. “I see no reason why it should only be in Bahrain we had this great race car.

Hartley is yet to score a point in the sport, six races into his F1 career, but with Toro Rosso’s new-found pace and a bit of luck, he could find his fortunes turn around in Shanghai.