F1 Fanatic

Ideally, we could somehow merge Alguersuari and Buemi into one, Sebaime Alguerbuemi. Alguersuari is the better racer, while Buemi is the better qualifier. However, I’m fairly certain this would violate several laws – legal, scientific, religious and metaphysical.

If I were calling the shots in Faenza, I’d take Alguersuari. Points are only on offer on Sundays, and Alguersuari can convert poor qualifying into points-scoring results; a little more focus on qualifying and he’ll be competitive enough to step out of the midfield (or at least into the upper midfield).

As for the second seat, I’m at an impasse. The Red Bull Young Driver Programme has largely been a failure, with too many drivers, not enough seats and no real results outside Vettel. Nevertheless, I’d get rid of Buemi. He’s been in the sport longer than Alguersuari, and he hasn’t really gotten better. Vergne has no racing experience, but I’m just not seeing the X-factor in Daniel Ricciardo. It’s a hard call, and they can’t exactly commute Vergne to Hispania to see how he stacks up against Ricciardo, since that is Toro Rosso’s entire purpose in the first place: to prepare young drivers for Red Bull. So it’s really a case of “head says Ricciardo, heart says Vergne”.

@Enigma – yep I pretty much agree. Algie has more potential. How many more years do you reckon we’ll see of Mark in Red Bull though? I’m not quite sure I can imagine Red Bull retaining him for 2013 to be honest.

The Red Bull line up will obviously be the same next year, But at Torro Rosso I think the driver with the lowest points at end of this season will be dropped for Ricciardo, so I predict an Alguesuari – Ricciardo line up for next year, with Vergne as test/reserve driver. Then whoever proves to be better next year may replace Webber in 2013, with Vergne replacing whoever leaves and then either Lewis Williamson or Carlos Sainz Jr becoming reserve.

I’d think STR will have Alguesuari and Ricciardo for the main 2 and test/reserve will be Vergne as for Buemi his only realistic options are Hispania and Virgin as I think Caterham will stick with kovi and trulli and williams will go for maldonado for the money and possibly raikkonen if he can be bothered and in 2013 Kimi would go to Red Bull to replace Webber.

For 2012, I think Toro Rosso should keep Buemi and Alguersuari, they’re both evenly matched. I think that Alguersuari scoring points from 18th makes it harder to rate him against Buemi because of the tyres. I think if Webber shows similar form next year as he has this year, Red Bull should drop him, Red Bull need championship material drivers in their team, and Webber hasn’t shown he can compete with Vettel regularly. For 2013, I’m not sure at all who will be where.

So much talent, so few seats… hard to say who will be where in 2013 when it all depends how the young guns perform in 2012.
I see Vergne as the most talented of the young drivers and ultimately Vettel’s team mate but whether it’s 2013 I’m not sure, at the moment he has the least experience but don’t think that will count for much, seeing as Helmut Marko thinks so highly of him.
And a separate point, given that RBR were probably going to have an empty chair in 2010 and 2011 and 2012… who’s to say 2013 will see Webber retire or leave?

I think there is an overwhelming feeling that Sebastian Buemi will be dropped in favour of giving Ricciardo a race seat, and I think I would like to echo that sentiment. Buemi is a good qualifier, but in recent races, form and the car have let him down. His race performance has not been up to the standard of Alguersuari’s, and I cannot foresee the management of Scuderia Toro Rosso giving him very long in their team.

Should Buemi be dropped, I don’t think that Red Bull will disown him – he is still relatively young, and I am certain that a future awaits him in motorsport, but perhaps elsewhere – DTM, WTCC, or he may even try his hand at the WRC!

I feel that Ricciardo will most likely be given a race seat with Toro Rosso if they do end up dropping Buemi, although I am certain that the Red Bull Young Drivers Programme will make sure that Ricciardo will get a decent seat for next year – I think that Lotus GP or even Force India are not out of the question if things fall the right way…

If Ricciardo goes to STR, then one could easily see Jean-Eric Vergne going to HRT, Marussia or even Caterham, or he could be placed as a reserve driver for STR – either way, he will make a debut race in 2012, of that I am sure.

We shall see how it all gets played out, but I can envisage F1 having an influx of young, talented drivers over the next few years…and you never know, we may see some female drivers entering the sport! Danica Patrick races in IndyCar, and has a very high profile over there (and when USF1 was hoping to join, there were rumours that she might have joined), and we have people like Alice Powell currently racing in British Formula Renault, so you never know!