Toro Rosso: Team draw level with Sauber in championship

2011 Indian GP team review

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Toro Rosso and Sauber are now level on 41 points with two races to go.

Sebastien BuemiJaime Alguersuari
Qualifying position910
Qualifying time comparison (Q2)1’26.161 (-0.158)1’26.319
Race position8
Laps24/6059/60
Pit stops12

Toro Rosso drivers’ lap times throughout the race (in seconds):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960
Sebastien Buemi103.42997.43195.55994.69994.28594.07193.41493.80894.00193.32292.71892.3292.3494.11192.73591.71292.19595.196110.98691.27291.24192.07990.95691.024
Jaime Alguersuari102.73797.39495.37994.93294.24994.00593.42293.55293.31592.81192.73392.59793.19393.22692.14994.75111.00691.40491.7191.67792.13892.05291.37790.77591.11691.83691.49891.00190.90891.32693.6790.78591.06791.06290.10791.36990.41890.89990.51890.03989.54389.90789.51389.30189.30993.063111.03990.39689.92889.50990.81290.22492.01689.86689.49589.62189.23989.46691.973

Sebastien Buemi

Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, Buddh International CIrcuit
Start tyreSoft
Pit stop 1Soft 22.579s

Buemi headed an all-Toro Rosso fifth row of the grid as the team continued its late-season surge.

He locked his tyres heading into turn one as Michael Schumacher and Alguersuari made their way past.

But later in the first stint he followed his team mate past Bruno Senna and Adrian Sutil.

It was all in vain, however, as his car came to a stop on the 25th lap: “When the car stopped, I had just passed Hamilton, I was lying eighth and I think we could have finished in the top eight,” he said.

“When you go from that promising situation, to a non finish with no points, it’s a bit difficult to take.”

Sebastien Buemi 2011 form guide

Jaime Alguersuari

Start tyreSoft
Pit stop 1Soft 22.856s
Pit stop 2Hard 23.084s

Alguersuari had a fraught Friday, crashing in the first practice session and having a few off-track moment in the second.

But he got it together on Saturday to line up alongside his team mate in the grid.

By lap 14 the Toro Rosso’s strong straight line speed in the DRS zone had taken him up to ninth place. Aided by Felipe Massa’s retirement, he finished eighth to put Toro Rosso level with Sauber in the constructors’ championship.

Jaime Alguersuari 2011 form guide

2011 Indian Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    30 comments on “Toro Rosso: Team draw level with Sauber in championship”

    1. I would love someone to find out why we suddenly had so many gearbox and engine issues this weekend. Might it be it was the sand and dust and dirt doing it?
      Or did teams bring parts that were at the end of their life cycle, that does not sound logical though. They have enough gearboxes and engines left not to have to do that.

      1. How do you know they have enough gearboxes / engines left? Neither the FIA or the teams release such data.

        1. That’s true @beneverard, we can’t be sure about it.

          But last year there were several times where teams had blown engines and still they all managed without too many problems, so it should not be a problem this year, should it?

      2. @BasCB two things as @beneverard pointed out that towards the end of the season you can expect that & secondly this track had a lot of dust,I wonder that played a role may be a smaller one.

    2. Bad luck for Buemi, he needed some points, and it was terrible timing to have a failure.

      I don’t think either deserve to be sacked, but Buemi may have to be just so they can accomodate Ricciardo and Vergne.

      1. When such a situation as this, when both drivers desperately need points to be in F1 next year, it’s a pity one of them retires. Their qualifying was excellent, and both were strong in the race. Alguersuari continues to impress, sadly Buemi retired because it would’ve been a perfect weekend for STR.

        1. @ed24f1 probably if Red Bull want Ricciardo in the car (if they’re satisfied with him – otherwise Vergne) they’ll probably drop Buemi, which is a shame as, as you say, neither deserves to be sacked.
          I’m happy STR is improving, but I’m also a Sauber fan and it’s not nice to see these two battling each other. I’d prefer both were ahead of FI, and as much as I hate Sauber falling behind I love STR progressing.

        2. @Fixy Yes, and Buemi had the wheel falling off at Suzuka when running in the points, and was taken out by Buemi at Spa while running 5th from memory, so he hasn’t had much luck. No wonder why he was supposedly ‘close to tears’ after India.

          I agree about Sauber, I’d personally like to see them above FI and STR. I do like STR’s current driver line-up though.

    3. Sad Toro Rosso found this kind of pace so late in the season. Alguersuari in particular’s having a spectacular second half of the year.

    4. If only Sauber didn’t get DQ’d in Melbourne, that’s all I’m going to say.

      1. @MagnificentGeoffrey They probably lost just as many points at Monza with their mechanical issues while running strongly.

        1. Oh, I need a dash to tag you, @Magnificent-Geoffrey I wonder how many people have been caught out by that so far, I know I’ve seen a few (many of them myself)! :P

          1. @ed24f1 It’s into the double figures already, I can tell you that! :P

            1. @magnificent-geoffrey, I think I’ve had a couple of them as well, as did @damonsmedley

            2. @ed24f1 @BasCB Does this help? I’ve changed my name, now.

            3. @Magnificent-Geoffrey its easier for us that way. I can just copy past and add the @ now.

          2. Yeah, that helps, thanks! I think the problem before was that different users with spaces in their name had different usernames, for example I think Keith just removed the space rather than having a hyphen.

        2. @ed24f1 Yeah, but mechanical issues could happen to anyone at anytime. Technical infringements are something that happen very rarely and shouldn’t really happen at all. It’s the Melbourne points that they threw away that I’m most annoyed about.

          1. @Magnificent-Geoffrey True, although I’m sure Toro Rosso would say the same thing about not fastening their wheels properly in China and Suzuka, as that was a similarly needless mistake.

            Unfortunately, 2011 has been the direct opposite of 2010 for them, in that this year they were strong at the beginning and poor at the end.

    5. Jaime still has a chance to finish inside the top 10 in Drivers Championship, so I hope he will achieve another great results in last two races…

    6. My heart went out to Buemi when that engine went, the guy was clearly keeping pace with fast cars in front and behind. Did anyone notice how quickly he dispatched the cars that it took Algersuari a bit longer to figure out how to overtake? Hes a good racer, and was on track for a strong result. He and I were both screaming no, no no! as that engine blew during the broadcast. especially since hes my second driver and STR is my team for my F1 fantasy league :D

      1. He was the quickest in the speed traps. Usually when an engine nears the end of its life, it delivers more power, so maybe that might have been the case. But it’s a shame he had to retire again in this season without many retirements.

    7. When you think that back in 2009 the team that Toro Rosso have just drawn level with were called BMW (albeit with quite a few changes) it is pretty impressive. I’ve really warmed to Toro Rosso and especially Jamie Alguersuari’s ability as a driver who is completely worthy of his spot in F1.

      I’m glad to see them being the best of the rest most weekends, it’s just a shame there is such a gap between the midfield and the top.

    8. Argh come on Sauber…I admire Toro Rosso’s amazing pace at the minute but seriously. i just hope they’re focussing on next year, which is fair enough, and it seems it’s been that way for a while. But now they could lose out on the extra prize money 7th would give them, let alone 6th which they lost to FI a while back.

      Buemi looked so, so frustrated after his retirement. I don’t blame him. That was the last thing a Toro Rosso driver losing to his team mate at the end of the season needs.

    9. There’s a rumour that Red Bull might buy HRT next year, so perhaps Jaime and Buemi’s seats are safe for next year. Certainly neither of them deserves the sack.

      1. But on the other hand, there is also the rumor of Red Bull selling Toro Rosso, so I wouldn´t hope for the buy inmediatly.

        Beside with this economy I don´t think even Red Bull has the kind of money to have three teams on F1. Didi (Red Bull owner) is a smart man and he doesn´t more than he can handle.

    10. I gotta say I think Buemi is going to be done after this season at Toro Rosso. Jamie has been on an upswing and I see Ricciardo getting the vacated seat with Vergne in as reserve…

      Hopefully Buemi can find another ride or perhaps get a factory prototype drive? He should get in contact with Toyota

    11. Tough luck for Buemi but happy that Alguersuari is getting stronger & stronger for the 2013 promotion.

    12. Amazing performance since 2008. with better car two drivers could show their real potential.

    13. I can’t really understand all this talk of Buemi having to leave over Alguersuari. Admittedly there is very little hope of Buemi catching Alguersuari in the points but I wouldn’t say that either driver is exactly crushing the other.

      I think they should stick with they’re line-up to be honest. I would love to see new talent but let’s just remember how young these guys are and how only last year STR had to design their own car. That’s one hell of a learning curve for all involved.

      Good result for Alguersuari again :D

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