Toro Rosso-Honda has the "potential" to improve in 2018.
That is the view of the team’s rookie driver Pierre Gasly, after a disappointing first outing for the newly Honda-powered team this season.
"We’re fighting with Williams and Force India," the Frenchman, who retired from the race with an engine failure, said.
It has emerged that, of the ten F1 teams, only Toro Rosso-Honda was slower on average this year in Australia compared with 2017.
"I think the others have made pretty good progress," Gasly said. "We looked a little better in the test than we did in Australia, but the potential is there."
He said Toro Rosso and Honda are planning an "aggressive development programme" for the season, and should be stronger in different conditions.