Toro Rosso in talks to rebrand Renault engine

The Italian team ran year-old Ferrari power units during the 2016 F1 campaign but agreed in May to revert to Renault power from next season.

As part of the Renault deal, Toro Rosso receives the latest specification engine as well as having the opportunity to badge the unit as it wishes.

Its sister team Red Bull runs Renault power, but rebrands them under the TAG Heuer banner.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost says his outfit is looking to follow suit.

"We have the chance of finding a title sponsor, like Red Bull has done with TAG Heuer," Tost told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We are negotiating."

Toro Rosso finished seventh in the standings in 2016, seven points adrift of McLaren, 75 behind Williams and 110 off the pace of Force India.

Next term, the team is aiming to get ahead of Mercedes-powered rivals Williams and Force India and make an improvement of two places to fifth place.

Tost says the team is on schedule to have its car ready for pre-season testing, which starts at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya circuit on February 27.

"We are on schedule with the car," said Tost.

"We have passed the crash test and we will do a filming day before testing starts."

Translation by Michele Lostia