Toro Rosso to give new drivers more than one season
Photo by: XPB Images
Feb.16 (GMM) Toro Rosso's new drivers look set to be given longer than just a single season to prove they can step up to the senior Red Bull team.
Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne have replaced the Faenza based team's 2011 lineup and are tipped as likely contenders to oust the Australian veteran Mark Webber at Red Bull Racing next year.
But Franz Tost, Toro Rosso's team principal, said a 2013 promotion for either Ricciardo or Vergne is unlikely.
"I have no idea. But I doubt it, as the level of Red Bull Racing is extremely high," he told F1's official website.
"So my guess is that they will have to wait a little more. So far Mark has not given any hint that he is thinking of retirement."
Tost said Red Bull will only be looking for a driver with the 'wow-effect' to replace Webber, so 2013 could be too soon for Australian Ricciardo, or the French rookie Vergne.
Mark has not given any hint that he is thinking of retirement
"In general I would say that this wow-effect is not so easily manageable in a first season," said the Austrian. "But it definitely has to be delivered in the second season.
"I don't have a problem when a driver has a good race and at the next race he has a shunt -- that's part of the game. Both drivers will have a 'crash period' but that is part of their development phase," he insisted.
"It was the same with Sebastian Vettel. But at some point they have to get their game together -- and the question is who will be better at doing that? Let's wait and see."
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Pirelli chief calls for radical F1 overhaul
Webber told Piastri not to underestimate F1
Mark Webber’s top 10 drives
Top 10 Minardi F1 drivers ranked: Alonso, Webber, Badoer and more
‘Metronomic’ Verstappen may rule F1, but it won’t last forever - Horner
Perez: F1 safety car meant it was "game over" for second place in China
The ironic reason Newey thinks Red Bull hasn't been caught in F1 yet
McLaughlin issues statement following St. Pete disqualification
Full-time IndyCar move “an option” says supersub Pourchaire
When Senna broke his F1 duck by walking on water
Josh Berry "not necessarily panicked" over tough 2024 season
How Stroll and Magnussen revealed the scale of F1’s racing and rules problems
Did F1's new sprint format work?
Chinese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2024
Why Verstappen's China F1 win was a sideshow to the real battle
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments