Heikki Kovalainen

Reemz27 · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject: Toro Rosso's Trio Test

Sebastien Bourdais, Takuma Sato, Sebastien Buemi will be testing at Barcelona

Quote:

Toro Rosso will step up its evaluations of possible race drivers for 2009 when it tests a trio of runners at next week’s Barcelona test.

Current driver Sebastien Bourdais, yet to be re-signed for next year, will be joined by former Super Aguri pilot Takuma Sato and Red Bull protégé Sebastien Buemi.

Buemi, who raced in the GP2 Series this year, will complete running on all three days at the November 17-19 test, while Sato will drive on Monday and Tuesday morning.

Bourdais will take over from Sato in the afternoon on day two, before completing all of Wednesday alongside Buemi.

With Bourdais yet to secure a renewed deal, STR officially has both seats up for grabs after star driver Sebastian Vettel was promoted to Red Bull Racing.

It will be the second time Sato and Buemi have tested alongside each other for the team after they both took part in a test at Jerez in September.

Brazilian pair Rubens Barrichello and Bruno Senna have also been linked to STR, although the duo’s main priorities will be to secure a seat with Honda.

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Reemz27 · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject: Third Toro Rosso test for Sato

Quote:

Takuma Sato’s hopes of returning to the Formula One grid appear very much alive after his management revealed that he has been asked to test for a third time with Toro Rosso next week.

With neither of their 2009 race seats confirmed, the Italian team will put the Japanese driver through his paces again in Spain as they continue to ponder their line-up for next season.

“Takuma has been recalled by Scuderia Toro Rosso to test at Jerez, Spain, on 10/11 December,” a brief statement read. “We obviously see this as a positive step but still nothing is decided for the 2009 racing season.”

Sato, the most successful Japanese driver in history, has been without a drive since April’s Spanish Grand Prix and the demise of Super Aguri. He tested with Toro Rosso at Jerez in September and again in Barcelona last month, impressing on both occasions.

Toro Rosso have also been assessing Red Bull tester and GP2 star Sebastien Buemi and their 2008 race driver Sebastien Bourdais, who still hopes to retain his seat following the departure of team mate Sebastian Vettel to Red Bull Racing.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/12/8753.html

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LogicPro · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:44 pm Post subject:

Sato again Confused

I mean, he's probably the best japanese driver...but he's still a kamikaze!
I really hope Bourdais won't get fired only for lack of sponsor and money.

Toro Rosso's right choice should be Buemi-Bourdais (young rookie + experienced driver)

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"Ayrton Senna was an extraordinary racing driver. His skills, craft, subtlety and courage were of such magnitude that he dwarfed his generation of drivers."
Ron Dennis

Reemz27 · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject:

I think i should be like this

Sebastien Bourdais -> Test Driver: Toro Rosso
Sebastian Buemi -> Gets his Race Seat for 09'
Takuma Sato -> Gets his Race Seat and Sebastien Buemi as Team-Mate.

I think Sebastien should have shown what he is capable of doing like he only came into F1 because he won Champ Car (Am I Right Question

)and if he can win that he should be capable of atleast finishing in the top 8 after the 08' Season (Driver Standings')

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Icemans biggest fan · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:24 am Post subject:

Reemz27 wrote:

I think i should be like this

Sebastien Bourdais -> Test Driver: Toro Rosso
Sebastian Buemi -> Gets his Race Seat for 09'
Takuma Sato -> Gets his Race Seat and Sebastien Buemi as Team-Mate.

I think Sebastien should have shown what he is capable of doing like he only came into F1 because he won Champ Car (Am I Right Question

)and if he can win that he should be capable of atleast finishing in the top 8 after the 08' Season (Driver Standings')

Totally agree. I mean just compare his and Vettel´s results. Vettel even won a GP and had 35 points at the end of the season. How much did Bourde score? Only 4! Out of which, 2 he got in Australia when only 6 drivers finished the race and he had the luck to be the last one who didn`t finish, so he got the 7th place... Laughing

Maybe he won Champ Car but duh, this is just a new example where it is shown that all those racing sports are quite different, and that some drivers can happen to be the best in one of them, and then simply suck in formula 1....

Though on the other hand I also have to admit that I have not a clue if Buemi is anything better than him, but in any case I think that Sato deserves to get a seat! The second one should be given to one of the Sebastians, whoever will be better on the tests...

LogicPro · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:43 am Post subject:

Bourdais was better than Vettel with the STR02. Then Red Bull brought a car that suited perfectly Vettel..and Toro Rosso preferred Vettel, so they made set-up on him.

Bourdais should have been on podium in Spa, but bad luck on last lap took away his chance. I think Bourdais is a fast and talented driver...he was in a rookie season and in my opinion showed he's a great driver and if luck and the team were on his part he could score more points.

In Monza he was 4th on the grid and had the 2nd fastest lap, just behind Raikkonen... at least he should have been 3rd after the race, but his car stalled. Then in Fuji drove brilliantly, but Massa weeped and the FIA penalized Sebastièn.

At least he deserves a chance more...his contract was a 3-years-long one...

_________________
"Ayrton Senna was an extraordinary racing driver. His skills, craft, subtlety and courage were of such magnitude that he dwarfed his generation of drivers."
Ron Dennis