This has been a subject of controversy for some months now and we're still no closer to finding out who will drive for the junior Red Bull team next year. With potentially four (realistically three) drivers in the running for next year's seats, who do you think will be Toro Rosso's 2012 drivers, and in turn, a challenger for the possible Red Bull seat in 2013? Let's have a look at our contenders: Sebastien Buemi: IMO he's been a quiet achiever of 2011. He doesn't get a lot of press coverage or attention but he's still quietly able to keep right on the pace wth his younger teammate. He's been consistent in both qualifying and race pace but it seems to keep him out of the points at some races not to mention mechanical maladies plaguing his car in races like Suzuka and Buddh. Out of him and the DJ, I like Seb more but I don't think he'll be here next year. Jaime Alguersuari: A massive improvement from last year and currently has more than five times his points from last year. Not quite as consistent as Buemi, in both qualifying and race pace. His qualifying pace seems to be either 'make or break' where he seems to either qualify in the top ten or 18th most of the time and it could be argued that getting an extra set of tyres by falling out of Q1 helps his race position. In any case, if he ends up on more points than Buemi (ALG on 26, BUE on 15) then I'm sure he'll retain his seat next year. Daniel Ricciardo: Done a very good job for HRT so far beating his teammate on 6 out of 9 occasions and has said he's made very good progress with the Pirellis and adjusted to a bad car quickly. Red Bull bought him a spot on the grid to see his potential and to get him used to the tracks, and it would surprise me if he's not in the STR next year. He's ticked the boxes of beating his teammate and showing some good pace to see if he was ready for a STR seat and he's done so and if they don't, well that just defeats the purpose of buying him a seat. But I wonder if Toro Rosso's place in the WCC will decide his seat? Jean-Eric Vergne: The young French WSBR runner-up has only done one practice session for Toro Rosso and it was very wet so that doesn't give a particularly good indication of his talents. I think next year we'll see him as a full-time test driver or even possibly following in Ricciardo's footsteps and being bought a seat (perhaps depending on how his testing goes), but not in a full-time Toro Rosso seat.
Both Buemi and Alguersuari have not shown anything special, they have had the odd occasional good drive and I do think Buemi is the better driver, but I do not think either of them will turn out to be world beaters. Ricciardo and Vergne both have a lot of potential and could turn out to be very good drivers if they can fulfill their potential. It could be a risk putting two rookies in the cars but Toro Rosso have done it before so probably is not a big concern for them. Therefore I would like to see Ricciardo and Vergne in the Toro Rossos next year to see what they can do. It could be a interesting battle between the two rookies as well.
Daniel Ricciardo and DJ Alguersuari for me, but despite a good showing this year Alguersuari's days could be numbered. Buemi isn't really going anywhere these days, and whilst he's not bad Red Bull will be thinking of the future should Vettel decide to go elsewhere.
Can't see Vergne getting the drive. He needs more time in practice sessions on Friday. Not sure about the other three. I'm confident that Ricciardo will be promoted to Torro Rosso but I'm not sure where that leaves Alguersauri and Buemi. Alguersuari is ahead in the championship but he's had more luck and been rewarded for **** qualifying performances while Buemi seems to be the more consistent performer. I suspect they'll retain Alguersuari because he's ahead in the championship, but maybe Marko has seen what I have and will give Buemi the seat. I'll be very dissapointed if they don't promote Ricciardo - he's done more than enough at HRT to prove that he's ready to drive for Torro Rosso. In fact, if he does get the TR seat next year, I expect him to soundly beat whoever his teammate might be.
I too feel that Ricciardo's performances at Hispania mean he deserves a seat at Toro Rosso next year. I believe he should partner Alguersuari, simply because Buemi has had three seasons at STR and is still yet to really impress. Alguersuari, meanwhile, has taken a huge step forward this year, and his impressive recent results have come without starting 18th or whatever. But if Buemi is dropped I can't see him getting a drive anywhere else, so Abu Dhabi and Brazil may well be make-or-break for him.
http://www.inautonews.com/buemi-close-to-tears-as-2012-decision-nears Wow, Buemi is really feeling the heat.
Ricciardo's been great for HRT so I'd imagine he's a shoe-in. As for Buemi or Alguesuari, I like Sebastien more, but I think Toro Rosso will stick with the man with the most points (looking likely to be Alguesuari).
I can't see Toro Rosso changing their drivers. Buemi has done a solid job, Alguesuri has been a bit more hit or miss, but recenetly he's been hit more often than not. Rememeber that Alguesuari is still the youngest driver on the grid so I think he's done enought for another year. If anyone gets the boot to make room for Ricciardo, then I think it will be Buemi, but another year in teh HRT won't hurt either Ricciardo, or HRT themselves.
http://www.inautonews.com/buemi-can-ease-rumours-with-super-race-tost Looks like Seb will need a miracle.
I'd keep the line-up as it is myself, they havn't done too badly, and Ricciardo has done ok, but not really done anything to shout from the roof-tops about though. Would be a shame for Buemi and Alguersuari to have their F1 careers over before most have even started theirs, Buemi for example only just turned 23.
Jaime for certainty Although I do feel sorry for Buemi as he was been pretty good this year as well and it looks certain he will be dragged out of the team.
Buemi's a decent driver, there's no reason why his career should be over if Toro Rosso show him the door.
True, but for next year, what options exist? At the moment, the only unconfirmed seats I can think of are at Williams, and they'll always favour Raikkonen over Buemi. Does Buemi bring much in terms of sponsorship? If not, they may be tempted to stick with Barichello if Raikkonen falls through. The only other potential seats are at HRT, and I believe the correct term for that is career suicide! Another option could be a test driver role at Toro Rosso, and hope Ricciardo isn't all he's cracked up to be in a midfield car?
Yep, there's not a lot of other options. Renault would consider everyone who can't get a drive, and if he can't get one he may have to hope for being a test driver at a team where he could have a future like Sauber or Force India. I doubt he'd be a Toro Rosso test driver; he's already shown what he coud do in three years, and unfotunately it's not good enough for them. I still think the partnership next year should have him and DR, but unless he can pull eleven points out of the bag in two races it doesn't look that way.
I agree with this. Toro Rosso are really getting it together as a team this season and I'd keep the unit in tact for next year. And this despite, or perhaps because of, Marko dangling the sword of Damocles over the drivers' heads. I hope they have the sense to see that they're building something good as a team in their own right and not just as a Red Bull prep team. But Marko moves in mysterious ways... As for Ricciardo, he looks promising but I can't help thinking that some people are getting hyped up about his supposed brilliance. I don't know what they have seen that I've missed.
I couldn't agree more! I've nothing against him, I'm just trying to be objective. There's definitely a buzz around him, and he may well be brilliant, but in concrete terms what do we really know? That he's better than Liuzzi but was outdriven by Karthikeyan. Does that give an accurate picture of his ability? I doubt it but I do wonder what those who rate him so highly are basing this on.
And that'w why he's a 2xWDC, doesn't have the fastest car but sticks it on pole. My feelings on Ricciardo too Max, he seems fairly quick, but I wouldn't say he's done anything spectacular, certainly nothing to say he deserves to take the position of Buemi or Alguersuari. He's beaten Liuzzi most of the time, but who hasn't? I'm not sure he's ever beaten a team-mate except maybe Scott Speed and Karthikeyan, who as Max points out, beat Ricciardo despite not driving the car as much or with the upgrades. It is hard to guage anyones performance in the bath-tub, but if he were beating both Virgins regularly I'd say yes.
