Three days later, Toro Rosso thanks Hartley

It's official since Monday, Alexander Albon will replace Brendon Hartley at Toro Rosso in 2019, alongside Daniil Kvyat. The New Zealander had claimed to have a contract in good standing for the upcoming season, it will not allow him to keep his bucket after a particularly difficult season.

In such cases, it is customary for the team, when announcing the new recruit, to take the opportunity to thank the departing pilot. The statement sent by Scuderia on Monday, however, was devoid of any reference to Hartley.

The next day, it was the Honda engine manufacturer who paid tribute to the double Endurance World Champion, hailing his contribution to the development of Japanese power units. A few hours later, Hartley finally spoke for the first time since the announcement, with a formulation that can not be involuntary: "I also want to thank […] almost every 500 people in Toro Rosso. "

But Toro Rosso has finally sent this Thursday a brief statement on Hartley. "We want to thank Brendon for his great work with the team", says team director Franz Tost. "Moving from Endurance to Formula 1 was not easy, especially at the last minute."

"His consistency in the last four races of 2017 has allowed him to get a titular seat in 2018, and although we are finally unable to continue together in 2019, he has played a key role in the team and contributed to the development of the Honda powertrain, we wish him the best in his future adventures. "