Alguersuari joins Toro Rosso team

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Toro Rosso have announced that Jaime Alguersuari will drive for the team, taking the place of the sacked Sebastien Bourdais.

The Spaniard, 19, will become the youngest driver to take part in a Grand Prix when he races for the Italian outfit in Hungary this weekend.

The British Formula Three champion has been picked from Toro Rosso's young driver programme by boss Franz Tost.

Toro Rosso let French driver Bourdais go after two seasons with the team.

Bourdais scored six points in 27 grands prix for Toro Rosso, but is now threatening legal action against them for what he considers a 'breach in his contractual duties'.Reports say that five-time world rally champion Sebastian Loeb could drive for Toro Rosso in the last Formula 1 race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Barcelona-born Alguersuari will join team-mate Sebastien Buemi, who until the Spaniard's arrival was the the only rookie driver racing in F1 this season.

"I am aware that I'm facing a very tough challenge, because coming into Formula 1 is never easy," said Alguersuari.

"Coming into Formula 1 in the middle of the season is even harder and doing so without any testing is really difficult.

"But already I feel I am getting great support from the team, who have quite a reputation for looking after rookie drivers."

Tost said Alguersuari was chosen to replace Bourdais because he was considered the "most mature" prospect in the young driver programme.

He added: "I do not expect anything from him for at least his first three races, during which he has to get used to the car, the team and to the F1 environment."

Bourdais seat cuts Button options

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Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais has earned a second year at Toro Rosso, reducing British driver Jenson Button's hopes of staying in Formula One.

The 29-year-old Bourdais had spent an anxious winter waiting while the team assessed alternatives.

But he was confirmed as team-mate to rookie Sebastian Buemi on Friday.

Button was one of those linked to Toro Rosso and their decision means the Englishman's hopes rest with a rescue package for the collapsed Honda team.

Honda quit F1 in December, citing falling car sales and the global financial crisis.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said: "We expect him [Bourdais] to profit from the experience he gained last season.

"He now knows the F1 environment, tracks and the team and the return of slick tyres should suit his driving style."

After 11 years using grooved rubber, slick, untreaded tyres, are being re-introduced to F1 this season among a raft of other rule changes aimed at improving the quality of racing.

Bourdais was overshadowed for much of last season by former team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who has been promoted to the main Red Bull team alongside Mark Webber for 2009.

And Bourdais, a four-time winner of the US-based Champ Car series, admitted his relief at finally securing the drive.

"It has been a very long and difficult winter, but now the waiting is finally over and I am really excited about tackling my second season with Scuderia Toro Rosso," he said.

"Now I can focus on preparing for the coming season. It promises to be a very interesting one, thanks to all the rule changes."

Red Bull launch their new car in Jerez in Spain on Monday, ahead of a major three-day test involving many of the leading F1 teams.

Toro Rosso will use the same car as Red Bull, but fitted with a Ferrari engine rather than the Renault used by their parent team.

Toro Rosso confirm Buemi for 2009

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Sebastien Buemi will drive for Formula One's Toro Rosso team this season.

The 20-year-old Swiss, who was widely tipped for the job, is likely to be the youngest driver on the 2009 grid.

Dietrich Mateschitz, boss of Toro Rosso and sister team Red Bull Racing, had earlier said Buemi was "very likely" to be chosen having impressed in testing.

"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," said Buemi.

Last year Buemi competed in the GP2 support series and spent time as reserve driver for Red Bull Racing. His team-mate at Toro Rosso has yet to be named.

Buemi fills the gap left by Sebastian Vettel's promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull, after his impressive 2008 campaign, which saw him become the youngest Grand Prix winner in history at Monza.

Vettel in turn takes up the vacancy left by the retirement of David Coulthard.

"I am naturally very happy to be driving for Toro Rosso this year," said Buemi.

"Being an F1 driver has always been my target, since I first started racing.

"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."

Former team co-owner Gerhard Berger had strongly hinted that Buemi would win a drive when he said in a magazine interview that the 20-year-old would be a "good and fast driver" for Toro Rosso.

Team principal Franz Tost praised Buemi's speed and "ability to learn and progress" during testing.

"That, along with some impressive performances in GP2 was enough to convince us to give him the drive," he added.

Buemi's first official outing as a Toro Rosso driver will be in testing at the Portimao Circuit in Portugal later in January.

Sato to test for Toro Rosso again

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Japan's Takuma Sato will take part in a third test for Toro Rosso as he targets a return to Formula One in 2009.

The 31-year-old has been without a drive since the collapse of Super Aguri in May but will get back behind the wheel at Jerez on 10 December.

Sebastian Buemi and 2008 driver Sebastien Bourdais will also take part in the three-day test.

Toro Rosso have yet to confirm their 2009 drivers but a spokesperson said there was no deadline for a decision.

Buemi, Red Bull Racing's reserve driver, has been strongly linked with a seat at Toro Rosso, who are now 100% owned by Red Bull.

Dietrich Mateschitz, who owns both teams, revealed Buemi was "very likely" to be chosen, which would leave Sato and Bourdais to fight it out for the other seat.

Sato's commercial manager Matthew Winter said: "We obviously see this as a positive step, but still nothing is decided for the 2009 racing season."

The Japanese racer bettered Buemi and Bourdais to set the fastest times of the three during November's test at Spain's Circuit de Catalunya.

He also tested for Toro Rosso at Jerez in September and will return to the circuit as the teams undertake the penultimate test of the year.

Sato is Japan's most successful F1 driver, scoring 44 points from 90 races and taking third at the 2004 US Grand Prix.

However, he has not competed since this year's Spanish Grand Prix in April, when Honda-backed Super Aguri went out of business.

Bourdais hopes to retain his seat after the departure of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who claimed the team's first victory at the Italian GP, to Red Bull.

The Frenchman scored four points in his debut season but is yet to convince the team he has done enough to earn another drive.

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.

Berger quits as Toro Rosso boss

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Formula One team Red Bull are set to regain 100% control of sister outfit Toro Rosso after buying out the 50% share owned by Gerhard Berger.

The deal is pending approval by regulatory authorities.

If it goes through, Red Bull chief Dietrich Mateschitz will wholly own two teams on the F1 grid.

Fellow Austrian Berger, who won 11 Grands Prix in a 14-year career, had been Toro Rosso's boss but will cease all involvement with the team.

The team said they were not planning any further changes to their management structure.

Toro Rosso, the former Minardi team, are Red Bull's junior team and use the same car but fitted with Ferrari engines rather than Renaults.

They outperformed Red Bull in the 2008 season - German rising star Sebastien Vettel won the Italian Grand Prix in September, the team's and Red Bull's first F1 win, and has moved from Toro Rosso to Red Bull for 2009.

The German became the youngest winner in Formula One history at the age of 21.

"I am very happy that I can support Didi (Mateschitz) - who has committed himself to Formula One with so much dedication - with the reorganisation of the team and in this process to make use of my knowledge so effectively," said Berger.

"A 100% financing of a joint project by one partner can only make sense, to my mind, at an initial stage. This stage is over now. That's why Red Bull will take over the shares again."

Mateschitz added: "I'm very grateful to Gerhard for his enormous input.

"Together we have made Toro Rosso a team which, from 2008 onwards, will regularly qualify for the top 10 and collect championship points.

"Red Bull will now run Toro Rosso alone on this basis."

Red Bull suffered a blow last week when Australian driver Mark Webber broke his leg in a bike crash but the team expect him to be fit to start the 2009 season.

Toro Rosso to assess 2009 drivers

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Toro Rosso will evaluate three drivers at next week's first post-season Formula One test as they seek to finalise their line-up for 2009.

Sebastien Bourdais, who raced for the team in 2008, will be joined by Red Bull tester Sebastian Buemi and former Jordan and Honda driver Takuma Sato.

The drivers will be evaluated over three days at Spain's Circuit de Catalunya, starting on Monday.

Both Toro Rosso seats are up for grabs after Sebastian Vettel joined Red Bull.

Frenchman Bourdais, a four-time winner of the US-based Champ Car series, is battling to convince the team he is worthy of a second season in F1 after an up and down debut year.

Buemi, from Switzerland, is a member of the Red Bull junior team while Japanese Sato is aiming to revive his career following the collapse of the Super Aguri team early in the 2008 season.

Brazilians Rubens Barrichello and Bruno Senna are also believed to be contenders for a Toro Rosso seat.

Veteran Barrichello is also in with a chance of staying at Honda next season alongside Jenson Button.

Senna, the nephew of the late three-time champion Ayrton Senna, is also in the frame at Honda - he is testing for the Anglo-Japanese team at Catalunya next week.

The former Minardi team, bought by Red Bull in 2006, won their first race last season, with Vettel taking the chequered flag in Monza.

They outstripped senior team Red Bull in the second half of 2008, when they were often battling to be best of the rest behind title contenders Ferrari and McLaren.

They use the same car as Red Bull, but fitted with a Ferrari engine rather than the Renault used by the senior team.

Toro Rosso

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Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso face an uncertain future following owner Dietrich Mateschitz's decision to put them up for sale.

That move was prompted by a change in the rules on customer cars, which will be banned from 2010.

Toro Rosso get their cars from senior squad Red Bull, the only difference being that the junior squad have Ferrari engines and the senior Renault.

Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel are promising but inexperienced pilots.

Nationality: Austro-Italian
Drivers:
Sebastien Bourdais (Fra)
Sebastian Vettel (Ger)
Engine: Ferrari V8
Tyres: Bridgestone
Team principal: Gerhard Berger
F1 history: 2006-
2007 position: 7th
Drivers' titles: 0
Constructors' titles: 0