Christian Horner expects 2016 will be a season of two halves for Red Bull Racing, with the team likely to trail the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso squad early in the year.
While Red Bull will run rebadged Tag-Heuer Renault engines this season, sister team Toro Rosso will be powered by Ferrari’s late season 2015 power unit.
Horner expects Toro Rosso’s switch to Ferrari power will net the team an advantage of 0.8s per lap, enough to see the junior squad beat Red Bull Racing in the early part of the season.
“It’s going to be a season of evolution for us,” Horner told reporters including Grand Prix Times at Red Bull’s livery launch in London on Wednesday.
“I think it’s going to be a season of two halves, the first half is going to be less competitive than the second but we are expecting to make significant progress throughout the year.
“For example, Toro Rosso has bolted in 0.8 seconds into their car through just a different power unit,” he added.
“That is a significant amount of performance. We are hoping to make similar gains throughout the year but obviously the chassis is going to have to prop that up.
Asked whether he expects Toro Rosso’s 2015 Ferrari power unit to be quicker than the early season Renault engine powering Red Bull, he said: “To start the year, yes.
“But I think that will change, hopefully will change throughout the year.”
Ricciardo: Red Bull shouldn’t be concerned by Toro Rosso
While Daniel Ricciardo accepts Horner’s observation that Red Bull could trail Toro Rosso early in the season, he is confident the senior team has the capacity to overhaul the junior squad as the year goes on.
“I think if we're to start with very little improvement from last year, I think Toro Rosso will be competitive in relation to us over the first few races,” said Ricciardo.
“It's not impossible that they come out ahead of us. But I think as the year goes on, we've got more room for development and improvement, and obviously we're the bigger team.
“If we start now in front of them, I think that's a really good sign – but I wouldn't be too discouraged if they come out ahead of us in Melbourne.”
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