Thursday, September 2, 2010

Toro Rosso are set to give Sebastien Buemi another chance next season, while teenager Jaime Alguersuari looks set to be given another chance despite his recent farcical Abu Dhabi drive.

Swiss sensation Buemi was top rookie with six points. Two seventh-place finishes were the best the 21-year-old could muster in Australia and Brazil in an impressive season. And a team spokesman said: “I can confirm we’ve signed Buemi for next year.” Judging by the comments of team principal Franz Tost, Alguersuari looks set to start the season for the Ferrari-powered team in Bahrain on March 14.

The 19-year-old struggled in the season-ending race at Yas Marina Circuit as he missed his pit stop and then crashed out early.

The Spaniard claimed he had not run out of fuel but it was still something of a disappointing end to the season for the youngster. 

But Tost said: “Dietrich Mateschitz bought this team to give young drivers a chance, this is our philosophy.

“We have to stick to this philosophy, I’m confident that from the middle of next year onwards we will have a good driver line-up, because then Alguersuari will know all the tracks, and Buemi is increasing his performance already.” Meanwhile, championship-winning Ross Brawn is confident the Japanese teams who pulled out of F1 will return in the future.

Only last week Toyota put the brakes on their  motorsport participation, while Brawn bought Honda earlier this year.

But he said: “It will take a while, it’s going to take a few years but Honda’s was their second or third involvement in Formula One.

Manufacturers look at the value to them of F1, there’s no sentiment I’m afraid. So when it’s viable they come in, and when it’s not they don’t.”