STR: Buemi likely to take race-seat

Tuesday 25th November 2008

Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz has said that Sebastien Buemi is the driver most likely to replace Sebastian Vettel at Toro Rosso next season.

The 20-year-old Swiss is Toro Rosso's current test and reserve driver and joined both Vettel's 2008 team-mate Sebastien Bourdais and Takuma Sato in trying out for a seat last week in Barcelona.

With Bourdais yet to be confirmed at Toro Rosso for 2009, Vettel's move to the 'senior' Red Bull team has left both seats up for grabs.

Mateschitz, who co-owns Toro Rosso with former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, told autosport.com: "One will very likely be Buemi. The line-up will be confirmed before the last test in December."

Buemi, who also raced GP2 last season, would be Switzerland's first Formula One driver since Jean-Denis Delatraz raced without success for the Pacific Ford team in 1995.

"I am young and I learn quickly. I think that all teams now try to have an experienced driver and a young driver, as you see for example, at Renault," Buemi told the official Formula One website after the Barcelona test.

"The immediate past has shown that the young guys don't need too long to deliver results...Young drivers have shown that they can deliver almost straight away."

Besides Buemi, Bourdais and Sato, Honda veteran Rubens Barrichello and GP2 frontrunner Bruno Senna have also been mentioned in connection with the Toro Rosso seats.

The last test of 2008 takes place at Jerez in Spain between December 9-11.

Your Comments

thomas998

"What is happening to F1... I used to think they had the best drivers... now STR is going to give a seat to the slower of the guys that tested... Honda has all but confirmed that Button will remain and Ruebens will leave (guess which one had nearly 4 times as many points as the other).... Maclaren dumps Fred and keeps Lewis.... Ferrari gives an extended contract to the slower driver Kimi... Renault keeps Nelson... its starting to look like the best way to get or keep your seat in F1 is to be the worst driver... where will it end."

Howee

"What is it with Mateschitz and his obsession with all things Sebastian?? Looks like the criteria for potential F1 drivers to get a test drive at one of his teams is a little tighter than at other teams? Webbo must be worried too, now that he's out of action one might just slip into his seat...!! "

robson

"i guess he comes with money. although i cant see who they can put with him with experience because barrichello is not possible especially after what he has said about ferrari. he has shot himself in the foot unless he stays with honda."

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