F1's Toro Rosso Names 2008 Racers
Bourdais to Team with Vettel, Will Take Lame-Duck Liuzzi's Race Seat
Scuderia Toro Rosso completed its race driver lineup for 2008, confirming Sebastien Bourdais to take over for Vitantonio Liuzzi. Bourdais will team with Sebastian Vettel.
Making predictions always will be a part of the job for a journalist covering sports. In looking back at the article posted on Suite101 on July 18 titled, “Liuzzi and Speed Feel F1 Heat,” the crystal ball was working well.
The drivers for Scuderia Toro Rosso (STR) -- Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed -- had scored zero points in the first nine (of 17) Formula 1 races. Thus, the feeling here was that their race seats for 2008 were in jeopardy, with Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel waiting in the wings.
As it turned out, the crystal ball was correct. Bourdais and Vettel are now confirmed as STR’s driver tandem for 2008. The crystal ball did not foresee the removal of Speed in favor of Vettel after one more race weekend. But the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring proved to be the straw that brought to an end Speed’s time as a race driver for STR. For more information, please see the Suite101 articles, “Lost F1 Weekend for Toro Rosso” and “F1's Toro Rosso Adds Vettel, Axes Speed.”
Vettel, the 20-year-old German, made his STR debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. With a test ban in effect, the weekend was Vettel’s introduction behind the wheel of the STR-02, with practice, qualifying and the race essentially serving as a three-day test.
Vettel, who joined STR from BMW Sauber, for which he had been test-reserve driver, finished the race in 16th, one lap behind.
The Hungarian Grand Prix was Vettel’s second Formula 1 race. Earlier this season, he became the youngest driver ever to score a point. Driving for BWM Sauber in place of the injured Robert Kubica, Vettel earned one point for finishing eighth in the United States Grand Prix. This achievement took place shortly before Vettel’s 20th birthday.
It appears Liuzzi will soldier on as a lame-duck teammate to Vettel for the remainder of the 2007 season. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Liuzzi suffered his ninth consecutive retirement (technical failure, lap 44)
At this time, it is not known if Speed or Liuzzi will retain a role in F1 with STR or the parent team – Red Bull Racing – in 2008.
Bourdais Confirmed for "Pinnacle of Motorsport" in 2008
Bourdais, a native of France, was today (Friday, August 10) confirmed for a race seat in 2008. Bourdais is the three-time defending driver champion of the Champ Car World Series and again leads the driver standings this season after nine of 16 races. Neither financial terms nor the length of the contract were disclosed.
STR had a contract option on Bourdais that expired July 31. But that date came and went.
STR did not exercise the option by the deadline because it was engaged in negotiations with Vettel. Ironically, STR announced on July 31 that Vettel was replacing Speed. For more information, please see the Suite101 article, “2008: Bourdais to F1, Toro Rosso?”
On paper, it seems STR has an improved driver lineup for 2008 in Vettel and Bourdais. In order to take a step toward the midfield and occasional opportunities to finish in the points, STR also will have to produce an improved car for next season.
Vettel will use the remainder of the 2007 F1 season to gain experience while Bourdais chases a fourth straight driver championship in Champ Car.
Bourdais will join STR after taking some time off following the last Champ Car race of the season, scheduled for December 2 at Phoenix, AZ. He will be able to settle in with the team and familiarize himself with the car during several months of pre-season testing prior to the first race weekend of 2008 – the Australian Grand Prix (March 14-16 on the provisional calendar).
The closest STR has come to a point in 2007 was Speed’s ninth-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. Then, the Canadian Grand Prix was viewed by STR management as an opportunity to score points that was squandered.
Both Speed and Liuzzi crashed out of the race, on lap nine and 56, respectively. It was this double retirement that seemingly started the fuse burning on the future of both drivers at STR (and possibly F1 as well).
When the checkered flag fell at the Canadian Grand Prix, only 12 cars (out of 22) were running, including both Honda-powered Super Aguris. Takuma Sato finished sixth, providing Super Aguri with three of the four constructor points it has so far this season. STR has zero constructor points.
STR and Super Aguri are both in its second season in F1. In 2006, STR scored one constructor point (eighth-place finish by Liuzzi at the United States Grand Prix) while Super Aguri had zero points.
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