Vettel to Toro Rosso

[f1box]

BMW Sauber F1 Team - BMW clears the road ahead for Sebastian Vettel. 
 Press release, 07/31/2007
 
 Munich/Hinwil, 31st July 2007. The BMW Sauber F1 Team is allowing Sebastian Vettel to take the step into a Formula One cockpit. The 20-year-old from Heppenheim is being released to move to Scuderia Toro Rosso with immediate effect.
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen explains: "As our test and reserve driver Sebastian has carried out sterling work for us. When he stood in for Robert Kubica in the USA Grand Prix he made history by becoming the youngest debutant to earn a world championship point. However, the current testing rules mean that he barely gets a chance to drive for us. Now he has been offered the opportunity to get inside a Toro Rosso cockpit. We have sponsored and coached Sebastian over a number of years. To place obstacles in his career path now would go against our concept of talent promotion."

Theissen continues: "BMW and Red Bull have a longstanding partnership in supporting Sebastian. Toro Rosso is the sister team of Red Bull Racing, and in that context it makes sense for us to release him. In a sponsoring partnership the main thing is to use the best opportunities that present themselves to a young driver at any given time."

Taking over the role of reserve driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team will be Timo Glock, who is currently a test driver. The 25-year-old from Brensbach-Wersau is championship leader in the GP2 Series and would forgo a GP2 race should he have to step into the breach for the BMW Sauber F1 Team
 


David

[f1box]

.... and from the Toro Rosso news site:


"WELCOME HOME - VETTEL TO JOIN SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO

Scuderia Toro Rosso announces that as from the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel will replace Scott Speed as the driver of car number 19.
 
Vettel will drive for the team in all the remaining rounds of the 2007 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. 

Having joined the Red Bull Junior Team in his early karting years at the age of 12 and been guided by us and BMW through his Formula BMW and Formula 3 career, we now welcome Sebastian back to the Red Bull family.
  
Sebastian Vettel will be taking part in the at the Hungaroring at 15h00 on Thursday 2 August.

Gerhard Berger and Franz Tost will be available to all media at the Energy Station at 16h00 on the same day."


David

[Chameleon]

Good luck to the guy, is all I can say.  I suppose if anyone can make a decent fist of driving for Tost and Berger it would be Vettel but he had better be faster than Liuzzi straight away...

Sebastian is very young to have to somehow provide the goods for such a strife-ridden team.  He has the talent necessary, I think, but may find that's not all he needs to survive.  And Scott's departure just illustrates how much you can rely on Tost's statements to the press - it was only a couple of days ago he was assuring everyone that Speed would be driving in Hungary and Turkey...

[Dare]

Seems like Berger and Tost would be perfect
to take over Bernie and Max's jobs,they
have all the necessary character skills
or should I say flaws

[cosworth151]

I have mixed feelings about this. I hate to see Speed loose his ride, but STR under Berger and Tost is turning into a black hole. Likewise, I'm glad to see Vettel get a race ride. I had a chance to talk with him briefly outside of the paddock at Indy. Seems like a good, level headed young guy. And he put on a good show of driving. I just hope he can make it through the mess that STR is turning into and get to a better team.

[Chameleon]

Yeah, I second that, Cozzie.

[raindancer]

I think STR's only reason for existence is to sell at a later date to a car manufacturer and make a pile.
Berger is a shrewd financial brain ( He was the only driver in f1 who managed himself).

[johnbull]

Having read through Scott Speed's statement a few days ago, I have to say he has gone up in my esteem. He didn't mince his words.

There was a very clear clash of personalities at Toro Rosso and I would say that was the only reason he's out.

Sometimes driving for a lousy team can do a driver more harm than good. It looks like the case with Speed. I hope it doesn't have the same result for Vettel.

[cosworth151]

Speed's manager is now saying that Scott is still under contract to STR. James Peltz, a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times, reports:

"Speed could not be reached for comment. But his manager, Glen Hinshaw, said in an e-mail that Speed "is not released from contract" and that further details "regarding the team and driver ongoing relationship" would be announced after Sunday's race."

Speed is from Manteca, near Stockton, California. The report is dated 5:40 pm PDT on 31 July.

[Chameleon]

It could mean a lot of things, Cozzie, one of which would be a lawsuit for breach of contract, perhaps with an assault charge tacked on.  Otherwise, and I think the more likely, Red Bull have done a deal between all concerned and Scott will be given a seat elsewhere - perhaps testing in F1 or an American series.

[cosworth151]

I wonder if there is any chance he could end up in one of the cars at Red Bull's rapidly sinking NASCAR effort. They already have former open wheel driver AJ Allmendinger. With Brian Vickers currently 39th in points, 2077 points back, and Allmendinger 43th, -2612, they could use all the help they can get.

[Chameleon]

Good point, Cozzie.  Speed could hardly do worse than that!