Official, Bourdais out, Alguersuari in.

W

Wido Rossen

  • Wido Rossen

Toro Rosso are expected to part company with Sebastien Bourdais before next week's Hungarian Grand Prix, with Spanish teenager Jaime Alguersuari set to replace him as Formula One's youngest ever driver.

Toro Rosso and team boss Franz Tost declined to comment on the situation at the German Grand Prix at the weekend as speculation swept the Nuerburgring paddock.

Alguersuari, the British Formula Three champion, is competing for his Carlin team in a World Series by Renault race at Le Mans -- Bourdais' home town -- this weekend and his confirmation could be delayed until next week.

The Barcelona-born driver appeared to confirm the move to Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso in comments to Catalunya Radio.

"I honestly think the Red Bull decision is right, but it is never good for someone to be left out of a team halfway through a season," he said.

Four-times Champ Car champion Bourdais was the first driver to retire from Sunday's race and has been out-performed by Swiss rookie team mate Sebastien Buemi.

Alguersuari was appointed Red Bull and Toro Rosso's reserve driver before last weekend's race.

If confirmed for Hungary, he will make his debut aged 19 years and 125 days. The previous youngest was New Zealand's Mike Thackwell, who entered the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix with Tyrrell aged 19 and 183 days.

Expectation is that Toro Rosso wil make this public within 48 Hours.
 
:damnit: i really hoped that Sebastien Loebb would replace Bourdais as he said this week in a interview! :(
 
  • G-Kraft

Loeb would have been a fail like all the "others"...better to take a motivated road racer instead
 
Not to sure about this swap really i can't see how a world series Renault guy can suddenly go into F1(it will just be like Tabor Halmachi in the 500's very slow) Would of been better to of stuck with him really
 
Maybe he brings a lot of money? Although i doubt that Red Bull (oh sorry Torro Rosso) needs that for funding
 
Ive seen Jaime Alguersuari Race in British F3 and World Series by Reanult, he is a good driver but nothing special, I think the Likes of Hulkenburg or Martinez would of been a better choice...
 
  • G-Kraft

If Loeb would join...then maybe we will se a drifter in F1
 
  • Wido Rossen

Scuderia Toro Rosso has officially confirmed that Sebastien Bourdais will leave the team with immediate effect and will not be racing at the Hungarian Grand Prix next week.

Team boss Franz Tost said the relationship had not produced the results the team expected, and thus the four-time Champ Car champion will be replaced.

"In Sebastien's second year with us, the partnership has not met our expectations and therefore we have decided to replace him as from the next round of the world championship, the Hungarian Grand Prix," said Tost.

Bourdais made his grand prix debut with the Faenza-based squad last season, scoring five points on his way to 17th place in the standings.

This season, the Frenchman has struggled to match the performance of rookie team-mate Sebastien Buemi, who has outqualified Bourdais seven times in nine races.

Bourdais, the only French racer on the grid, becomes the first driver to be replaced this season.

The team said it will confirm its second driver in due time.

Bourdais is expected to be replaced by Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who will become the youngest driver ever to compete in Formula 1 if he starts in Hungary.

( source autosport.com )
 
Now he's taking legal action against Torro Rosso for "breaching the contract".

Anyone who makes this much fuss over being kicked out for finishing last all the time surely doesn't deserve a drive in F1.
 
Strange decision, maybe its about saving money, I bet Bourdais was getting paid a damn site more than Buemi and whoever his replacement maybe, I watched him a lot in champ car and he is a good driver, one of the new teams coming in could do a lot worse, maybe Renault would like a french man in the team, I hope we havent seen the last of Bourdais in formula one.
 

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