Toro Rosso is hoping for greater synergy with sister team Red Bull now they have the same engine, but technical director James Key admitted it's too early to expect sharing of information and parts this year and is therefore eyeing more collaboration in 2018.
Toro Rosso, prior to its recent switch to Ferrari power, had used Red Bull's rear-end and other parts, allowing it to focus on other areas of development. With the two teams set to share an engine again next year, the opportunity for greater synergy is present again, allowing for a similar model to that of Haas and Ferrari.
But Key says that's unlikely to happen until 2018 because of the vast rule changes coming next year.
"There are several areas nowadays where it's acceptable to run the same part or for one team to design a bit and allow the other team to use it and so on, predominantly on power unit-related topics, but it also stretches to gearbox and suspension as well," explained Key.
"That's all good. It means we can pool our resources a bit more and have better synergies in those areas and certainly, both teams are looking to see what opportunities there are.
"The problem with new regulations of course is you've got nothing to discuss because you've got to go through the whole design process," he added.
"In 2017 therefore, there will not be that many opportunities for synergies. In the second year of these regs, once you've got bits that work within that set of regulations, then it opens up many more, so 2018 will be a better opportunity.
"Having said that, having the same engine helps. It draws together a huge amount of commonality in certain areas on the power train side."
