Scuderia Toro Rosso has confirmed that Aussie Daniel Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne will be their drivers for 2012 F1 season. It is to be noted that both these drivers are products of Red Bull Junior Team programme. While Ricciardo has earned some experience in Formula 1 during his time at HRT last year, 2012 will be the debut season for Vergne. Ricciardo was the test driver at Toro Rosso for a brief period in 2011, before moving on to drive for HRT.
Toro Rosso’s decision comes in the wake of their dismal performance in 2011 during which they finished 8th in the table, behind Force India and Sauber. Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, who drove for Toro Rosso in 2010 and 2011, failed to impress because of their lackluster finishes. Their continuation as drivers in Toro Rosso was always in doubt but many expected atleast one of them to be retained. However, as it turns out to be, both of them were scrapped.
Former Toro Rosso drivers Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari
Toro Rosso Team principal Franz Tost said: “I am pleased we have been able to reach an early decision on our drivers for next year because it means we can all give our full attention to 2012 without any distractions. Over the past year both Daniel and Jean-Eric have proved their worth, and I expect them to make a significant contribution to the team’s performance next year. Daniel has the benefit of having actually raced in grands prix for much of this year, while Jean-Eric proved he could adapt quickly to the demands of driving a Formula One car.”
This is the first time that Toro Rosso have completely revamped their drivers since 2006 – The year that they entered Formula 1. Scuderia Toro Rosso, which means Team Red Bull in Italian, has been the training ground where young and promising drivers are groomed towards being a Red Bull driver. A prime example would be that of Sebastian Vettel, who raced for Toro Rosso in 2007 and 2008 before joining Red Bull in 2009 and becoming the World champion in 2010 and 2011.
Explaining his decision to go for two new drivers, Tost said: “One has to remember when Toro Rosso was established in 2005, it was done so with the intention of providing a first step into Formula One for the youngsters in the Red Bull Junior Driver programme. It is therefore part of the team’s culture to change its driver lineup from time to time in order to achieve this goal.”
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel and Jean-Eric have a mammoth task at hand when they rev-up the engines in 2012. Especially, Daniel Ricciardo has to use his experience gained at HRT last year and will rightfully be the lead driver for the team. Ricciardo, 22, had a good debut season last year when he drove for HRT. He consistently outclassed and outpaced his teammate Liuzzi. Many believe that Ricciardo will only improve from now on and take fellow Aussie Mark Webber‘s place in Red Bull, if and when he retires. The time has come for Ricciardo to prove that he his worth replacing Mark Webber. Only time will tell whether he manages or not to get a drive for Red Bull in future.
- Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso
Jean Eric Vergne
On the other hand, Jean-Eric Vergne will be the youngest driver on the grid, come 2012. At just 21 years of age, Vergne entered into Formula 1 as the test driver for Toro Rosso in mid 2011, where he replaced his current teammate Daniel Ricciardo. It wasn’t the right platform to showcase his talent, but his wait for a bigger opportunity bore fruit as he was given a chance by Red Bull to test their car in November 2011. Vergne drove the title-winning Red Bull RB7 at the young driver test in Abu Dhabi, setting the fastest lap time on all three days. The Formula 1 fraternity came out in full praise of the young Frenchman and it has helped secure a drive at Toro Rosso for 2012.
- Jean Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso
For Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, it is not the end of the road. They might still get a drive for 2012 from teams like Caterham, Virgin and HRT. But currently, Buemi and Alguersuari’s future look bleak. However, Ricciardo and Vergne’s future would be bright if they put in some good performances and showcase their mettle in the big league. Or else they too might find themselves in a similar position in the near future. Here’s wishing them all the best for a successful 2012.
