OFFICIAL: Toro Rosso confirm Buemi for 2009

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72695


Toro Rosso confirm Buemi for 2009

By Pablo Elizalde
Friday, January 9th 2009, 14:53 GMT

Sebastien BuemiScuderia Toro Rosso have confirmed that Sebastien Buemi will be one of their racing drivers in the 2009 season.

The Swiss was already the favourite to secure one of the seats after having tested for Toro Rosso for several days during the winter.

The 20-year-old from Aigle is part of Red Bull's junior driver programme and last year competed in GP2.

"We are delighted to welcome Sebastien, who was already part of the Red Bull family, to our team," said team boss Franz Tost. "Our engineers have been impressed with his speed in the car and his ability to learn and progress during the testing he has carried out for us last year.

"That, along with some impressive performances in GP2 was enough to convince us to give him the drive. His appointment also fulfils the aims of the Red Bull Junior Driver programme and meets Dietrich Mateschitz's intention to use Scuderia Toro Rosso as a showcase for young drivers the company has supported in the lower formulae."

Buemi will make his debut as an official Toro Rosso driver in the test to be held at the Portimao circuit in Portugal later this month.

"I am naturally very happy to be driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso this year," said Buemi. "Being a Formula One driver has always been my target, since I first started racing.

"This year, I will do all I can to bring home the best possible results and to show Red Bull that the confidence it has shown in me is justified. I want to thank Red Bull for this opportunity and for all the help they have given me in my career, dating back to 2005."

Toro Rosso said Buemi's teammate would be announced in due time.

[gloomyDAY]

Duh!

Now let's see what happens with Bourdais.
Jeez, STR is really taking their time with this debacle.

[woody2goody]

This is great, a really good decision from STR.

Now, let's hope they see sense and stick Bourdais in the other car.

In fact I demand it :)

[AJP]

Yeah good news....

Congratulations Seb!!

[Chamoo]

Boudais seems to be a shoe-in at STR with the first name Sebastien.

[Nikki Katz]

I don't think that Toro Rosso will state who is in the second seat until we find out what's happening with Honda; although unlikely it's still possible that Button will be in the seat. Plus it gives Sato more time to raise more sponsorship.

[BTCC2]

Well I don't see either Barrichello or Button moving to STR.

[markabilly]

Button?? probably not cuase of the same reasons that Sato might get the job....., RB might be a smart sponsorship and "sell more redbull" move, since it seems that seat is reserved for corporate profit as a major outcome determinate factor

[jens]

Buemi to STR? This must be one of the worst kept secrets of the last few months. :p :

However, I have no idea, what is STR waiting for regarding their second driver. It already looks like they are trying to make Bourdais so nervous that he would leave on his own, so that Tost & Co can use an "argument" against critics, a'la "but we didn't sack him, he left voluntarily!"

[ArrowsFA1]

I guess there are any number of different factors making up Red Bull's decision. Obviously Buemi is one of "their" drivers so they were always likely to promote him to F1, despite him not being too impressive in GP2 IMHO. Still, he may find his feet in F1 and join the likes of Vettel as a star of the future...I doubt it though :dozey:

For me Bourdais should have been signed weeks ago. He may have struggled a bit at times, but he also stacked up well against Vettel at times and we know how highly rated the German is. With a years experience I think Seabass would be more valuable to the team than Buemi or Sato.

Then again why would Red Bull miss the opportunity of having Button on their books? A race winner in one of their cars could help them move forward, but perhaps he'll be employed elsewhere.

Or perhaps it's as simple as who can bring the most money to the team.

[trumperZ06]

;) Seabass may be driving INDY CARS again in 2009. Two teams are looking for sponsorship before offering him a ride.

:dozey: That said... it's a real shame Bourdais wasn't given the opportunity in Formula One four or five years ago.

His refusal to accept indentured servitude with Fabio forced him to go to Champ Car.

[ioan]

Then again why would Red Bull miss the opportunity of having Button on their books? A race winner in one of their cars could help them move forward, but perhaps he'll be employed elsewhere.

Because Button never moved forward any team, Honda being the latest example!

One lucky win is just that, one lucky win.

[ArrowsFA1]

Because Button never moved forward any team, Honda being the latest example!
Aside from the obvious point that Button was not entirely to blame for Honda's performance over recent years, I think his experience would be helpful to Toro Rosso, particularly as they have Buemi in the other seat.

Given that they've tested Sato, and worked with Bourdais for a year, I wonder if Toro Rosso are thinking along similar lines and waiting to see what happens in Brackley.

[BDunnell]

I have to say I'd go for Bourdais over Button were the decision up to me, even though this opinion is unfair on Button, who I think is unfairly maligned.

[CNR]

;) Seabass may be driving INDY CARS again in 2009. Two teams are looking for sponsorship before offering him a ride.

:dozey: That said... it's a real shame Bourdais wasn't given the opportunity in Formula One four or five years ago.

His refusal to accept indentured servitude with Fabio forced him to go to Champ Car.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21099.html

The news means that Sebastien Bourdais has one fewer options open to him if he does not get another year with Scuderia Toro Rosso. The Faenza team seems to be waiting to see what happens with Honda Racing F1 with rumours suggesting that Red Bull would very much like to see Jenson Button in one of the cars


Penske Racing has announced that Australian Will Power will join the team in place of Helio Castroneves for the pre-season testing and may stay on in 2009 The news means that for the moment at least Penske will have an all-Australian line-up with Ryan Briscoe in the other car.