Toro Rosso confirm Buemi

Promotion for RBR reserve driver

Last updated: 9th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Toro Rosso confirm Buemi

Buemi: Confirmed for 2009

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Toro Rosso have confirmed that Sebastien Buemi will drive for them this coming season.

The 20-year-old Swiss driver has long been expected to race for the Red Bull-backed team in 2009, Buemi having tested extensively for them in the run-up to Christmas.

He acted as reserve driver for sister team Red Bull Racing last year, in addition to contesting F1's feeder series, GP2.

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

Team principal Franz Tost added: "We are delighted to welcome Sebastien, who was already part of the Red Bull family, to our team.

"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."

Buemi takes the seat occupied for the last season-and-a-half by Sebastian Vettel, who moved to Red Bull Racing at the end of 2008.

Vettel scored the team's first ever victory at the Italian Grand Prix last September.

Toro Rosso's other race seat remains up for grabs, with 2008 incumbent Sebastien Bourdais seemingly vying with Takuma Sato for the drive.

Friday's statement added: "An announcement about who will be Buemi's team-mate will be made at some point before the Australian Grand Prix."

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