Toro Rosso confirm Alguersuari

Toro Rosso have confirmed that Jaime Alguersuari will fill Sebastien Bourdais's vacated race-seat for the upcoming Hungarian GP.

Toro Rosso announced last week that Bourdais had been dropped from the team with immediate effect, citing a failure to meet expectations as the reason for his axing.

The Frenchman's sacking has paved the way for 19-year-old Alguersuari to become the youngest ever driver to compete in a Formula One grand prix when he lines up on the Budapest grid this Sunday.

The Spaniard, though, admits it's not going to be an easy task, especially given F1's ban on testing.

"I would like to thank Red Bull for giving me this great opportunity to race in Formula 1," Alguersuari said. "Ever since I started racing this has been my dream and thanks to the Red Bull Junior Programme I will now realise my ambition of lining up on a Grand Prix grid.

"I am aware that I'm facing a very tough challenge, because coming into Formula 1 is never easy, coming into Formula 1 in the middle of a season is even harder and doing so without any testing is really difficult.

"But already I feel that I am getting great support from the team, who have quite a reputation for looking after rookie drivers."

Alguersuari is the reigning British Formula Three Champion and, before moving up to Formula One, this season, was competing in the World Series by Renault championship.

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost added: "Red Bull's stated aim for Scuderia Toro Rosso is that, when possible, it should be used to provide a seat for products of its Young Driver Programme.

"We therefore chose Alguersuari as the most mature driver currently in the programme. I am well aware that over the next few months the team and Jaime will face a major challenge, especially because of the testing ban. But Red Bull is always ready for a new challenge.

"I do not expect anything from him for at least his first three races, during which he has to get used to the car, the team and to the Formula 1 environment."

Source: Planetf1.com