Buemi poised for Toro Rosso seat

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Swiss Sebastian Buemi is poised to make his Formula One debut with the Toro Rosso team next season.

Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz, who has two teams in F1, told autosport.com Buemi was "very likely" to be one of the drivers for junior team Toro Rosso.

German Sebastian Vettel has been promoted to the senior Red Bull team, while his 2008 Toro Rosso team-mate Sebastien Bourdais may not be retained.

Toro Rosso tested Buemi, Bourdais and former F1 racer Takuma Sato last week.

Japan's Sato, who has raced for Jordan, Honda and Super Aguri in F1, set the fastest times of the three at Spain's Circuit de Catalunya.

Mateschitz said the Toro Rosso line-up would be confirmed "before the last test in December", which is at Jerez in southern Spain from 15-17 December.

Buemi, 20, told the official formula1.com website after his test: "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 (who partnered double world champion Fernando Alonso with rookie Nelson Piquet Jr in 2008).

"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."

Vettel became F1's youngest ever winner with victory in the Italian Grand Prix in September, while Lewis Hamilton is now the sport's youngest world champion following his success this year in only his second season.