Honda 'have made a lot of progress' - Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso are confident of enjoying a successful season with Honda power units in Formula One in 2018. Team principal Franz Tost has hailed the progress made by the Japanese manufacturer in reliability and performance since splitting from a miserable partnership with McLaren.

Honda's return to the sport soon turned sour, with McLaren struggling badly towards the back of the grid.

Former world champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button - as well as former GP2 winner Stoffel Vandoorne - unable to muster a single podium finish in three years.

McLaren turned to Renault at the end of last season, with Toro Rosso taking the unenviable step of filling their shoes at Honda.

But Tost says the Italian team are relishing a closer partnership with Honda, and hopes to surprise many people in 2018.

Tost told a media briefing at the Circuit de Catalunya during day one of F1's first pre-season test: "I don't see any problems.

Franz Tost: “We have a really fantastic working relationship with Honda... there was absolutely no problems from the communications side” #F1 pic.twitter.com/LVhPUfzgnu — Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) February 26, 2018

"The power unit is working quite well and I am convinced Honda has the capacity and the know-how to develop the engine from to a level that we will be there, where we expect to be and this is how it is.

"I see it as very, very positive because Honda have made a lot of progress in the last months on the reliability side as well as the performance side, so we are looking forward to the season."