Former Manor boss John Booth back in F1 as Toro Rosso consultant

Former Manor Racing Formula 1 team principal John Booth has joined Toro Rosso as a consultant, it was announced today.

The Briton, who left Manor at the end of the 2015 season and has since gone on to form the separate Manor Endurance Racing team, will begin working for Toro Rosso with immediate effect at the Russian Grand Prix.

Booth will become director of racing for the Italian team and the 61-year-old explained how much he was looking forward to starting his new role this weekend.

Speaking when the news of his appointment was announced today, Booth said: "It is a great honour to join such a well-established and competitive team as Scuderia Toro Rosso

“It is a team that has achieved so much in a relatively short space of time. I am looking forward to getting started and working with Franz [Tost] and the team this weekend in Sochi."

Tost, Toro Rosso’s team principal, described how the Red Bull junior outfit had approached Booth because of his years of experience working in motorsport.

He said: "I have known John for many years and I am delighted to welcome him to the team.

Formula 1 is becoming ever more complex, with recent changes on the tyre front, car set-up, radio communications and so forth. Therefore, having a competitive car and talented drivers, both of which we have, on its own is not enough.

“With his vast experience I am sure John will help the team raise its game and become a more effective force over a race weekend."

Toro Rosso is currently sixth in the constructors’ championship with Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz ninth and 12th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

The team’s best result so far this year has come through Verstappen, who finished sixth at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Italian squad is using a 2015 Ferrari power unit, which has given it a significant improvement in laptime over the Renault engine the team used last year, but unlike its rivals Toro Rosso will not receive any power upgrades over the course of the season.

Booth’s former Manor F1 colleague Graeme Lowdon recently told this website that their old team “would be a bit disappointed” with its results from the opening races of 2016.

Lowdon also confirmed on Twitter that Booth would continue to be a part of Manor's effort in the LMP2 category of the 2016 World Endurance Championship.

https://twitter.com/graeme_lowdon/status/724969275526680576