Toro Rosso e AlphaTauri, a Monza love story

When a small team wins against giants on their home turf, tears fall from anyone with a heart. Toro Rosso achieved this in 2008, and AlphaTauri did it again in 2020.

We know it, don’t want to jinx it by saying, “let’s hope it goes the same way this year.” Even though, well…kind of do. We still like to call it Toro Rosso, that small team from Faenza founded by Dietrich Mateschitz in 2006 and led by Franz Tost until just two years ago. A small company with a big heart, powered by the passion of Italian engineers and workers. A team that has undergone several rebrandings over the years, from AlphaTauri to today’s Racing Bulls Visa Cash App. And if we’re being honest, its true roots go back to the Minardi F1 Team.

Sebastian and Gasly in the Hall of Fame with Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri

Let’s go back to 2008, when a certain Sebastian Vettel was on the verge of the breakthrough that would eventually lead him to win four world championships with Red Bull. It was September 14, 2008, and at just 21 years old, he claimed his first career victory at the Italian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso — Red Bull’s junior and “academy” team, which at the time was far from being among the favorites. It was a rainy race, and Vettel dominated the weekend: pole position and a flawless win, becoming the youngest driver ever to achieve such a feat.

Toro Rosso ran Ferrari engines and raced with a car derived from the Red Bull RB4, but adapted in Faenza. Nobody expected such a result, but Vettel’s flawless driving in challenging conditions and the perfect strategy led to a historic victory for the Italian team. Meanwhile, take advantage and check out the 2025 race schedule below: https://sportchaos.live/f1-monza-timetables-for-the-most-italian-weekend/

AlphaTauri repeats the feat in 2020

In a season marked by the pandemic and with an empty racetrack, the surreal silence of the Temple of Speed was broken by an unexpected result: Pierre Gasly’s victory with AlphaTauri. The Faenza-based team, formerly Toro Rosso, returned to the top step of the podium exactly 12 years after Sebastian Vettel’s historic triumph. But this time, the story was rewritten by a young French driver, driven by a powerful desire for redemption.

The race started as expected, with Lewis Hamilton leading and Gasly in the midfield. But on lap 20, the unexpected happened: Kevin Magnussen stopped his Haas near the pit lane entrance, causing the lane to be temporarily closed. Hamilton and Giovinazzi still pitted and were handed heavy penalties. Shortly after, a violent crash by Leclerc brought out the red flag. The final laps were simply masterful, with Gasly, now in first place, managing his lead over Carlos Sainz’s McLaren and Lance Stroll’s Racing Point.

The team from Faenza will put their heart into this 2025 edition as well, encouraged by Isack Hadjar’s podium finish at the recent Dutch Grand Prix. And we’ll be there cheering for you too!