Pierre Gasly took plenty of positives from his first run-out in the ne🌳w Toro📖 Rosso Formula 1 car on Tuesday, finding the STR13 to be "more consistent" than last year's model.

Gasly enjoyed his maiden extended run in the new Toro Rosso car following teammate Brendon Hartley's outing on Mo🤪nday, and finished the day sixth overall, completing 8🧔2 laps.

Despite cold conditions limiting the amount of meaningful running that could be completed, Gasly said he ⛎already noticed a step in performance over last year's car that he drove for the final five races of the 🅘season.

"Of course I didn't do many laps, but the firs🌊t feeling is positive," Gasly said. "I feel comfortable with it. It gives me a bit more confidence than ♏last year.

"The car is a bit more consistent from one corner to another, between the low-speed, medium-sꦍpeed and high-speed. So far I must say Iꦛ'm happy.

"Of course we still have a lot of work to do, but I think we have some good direction🔯s overall."

Asked if the Honda engine offered more horsepower than last year's Renault pꦛower unit, Gasly said: "At the moment, I think it's pretty good. But we run really safe mode, so we didn't do any qualy run or any pushing laps. It's more about making many laps.

"At the moment the engine is really reliable, ♒which is what we need to have a good understand𓄧ing of the car. So far, so good."

Gasly made his debut for Tor꧙o Rosso at last year's Malaysian Grand Prix following Dani❀il Kvyat's demotion, giving him no prior F1 testing programme prior to the race weekend.

The Frenchman is glad to have a proper 🍎testing schedule in place ahead of the new season, and said he will be better-prepared come the season-opening race i༒n Austraia.

"The approach is different. I was straightaway sent to 🔥a raceꦑ weekend, so you need to deliver and just focus on the performance and the results," Gasly said.

"I didn't have time to get used to the car. I ha💯d to🌜 just focus on the performance.

"Now it's a different approach. I have four days of testಌing which is nice because I can try different setups, different directions. I can really work on the car setup to see what suits my driving better.

"Overall I think it's a different💛 approach. I think I will feel much more prep🌄ared in Melbourne than I was in Malaysia which is nice."