Toro Rosso were the worst constructor in 2010, picking up just 8 points, and dismissing Sebastien Bourdais half way through the season, despite having the excellent Red Bull RB5 chassis to use. Will they fare any better in 2010?
Toro Rosso STR5
For the first time ever this season, Toro Rosso have had to build their own car, rather than using a Red Bull-designed chassis, although they are blessed with the fact they have the excellent RB5 chassis as a baseline to build on.
One of the major changes from last year’s car is that the use of the double diffuser and larger fuel tank led the team to look at shortening the design of the gearbox to make the STR5 as short as it can be. The team’s task has also been made a bit easier with the unanimous decision amongst all the teams not to run KERS.
Toro Rosso will continue to use the Ferrari engine.
Drivers
In the 21-year-old Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi and 19-year-old Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso have the youngest team on the grid in 2010, and both drivers will want to show their potential early and hit the ground running.
Sebastien Buemi showed impressive speed in his first season in F1 last year, collecting 6 championship points and always challenging to be the best of the rest. For 2010 he will be the man Toro Rosso are banking on, and will be expected to be pushing on for more points finishes in the notoriously demanding Red Bull Racing feeder team.
Jaime Alguersuari was thrown in at the deep end at the Hungarian Grand Prix last year – with no prior F1 experience or testing, he was given a seat in the STR4 for the remainder of the season and therefore becoming the youngest F1 driver of all time, and the only F1 driver to be born in the 1990′s. Unsurprisingly he failed to score any championship points. However, he has had better preparation and testing for 2010, and will be expected to perform better, maybe looking for the occasional championship point.
Toro Rosso testers Brendon Hartley and Daniel Ricciardo will be waiting in the wings should either driver not live up to expectations.
Jack Sargeant is the editor-in-chief and designer of An F1 Blog. Follow him on 
Two very quick drivers, I think they have big chance of ending up in Red Bull in some years.