Mateschitz: Toro Rosso must improve

The Red Bull co-owner admitted that he was dissatisfied with the ex-Minardi outfit's progress after it scored only 26 points and slipped down to ninth in the constructors' standings.

AUTOSPORT understands that unhappiness with the team's form was one of the factors that led to James Key replacing Giorgio Ascanelli as technical director midway through the season.

"Toro Rosso is our rookie team and its goals differ from those of Red Bull Racing," Mateschitz told AUTO, the international journal of the FIA.

"But that's not to say we're happy with the development of the car. Significant improvements need to be found and are being called for."

Daniel Ricciardo, who remains with Toro Rosso for a second season next year, is confident that the team can live up to Mateschitz's expectations, and return to its 2011 form, when it finished seventh in the constructors' championship.

"That's the aim for the team," Ricciardo told AUTOSPORT when asked if he was confident of the team taking a step forward next year.

"James coming on board, that's definitely his ambition and a big reason why he has come into the team.

"There's a lot of room to progress. With all due respect to what we did in 2012, we have more room to go forwards than to go backwards so I definitely see us progressing."