Coletti and Ceccon with Toro Rosso in Abu Dhabi
The Toro Rosso team announced that it will run Stefano Coletti and Kevin Ceccon in Abu Dhabi for the young driver tests, taking place from November 15 to 17. Neither of them is part of the Red Bull young driver program, but it will be their first opportunity to get acquainted with a Formula 1 car.
While several drivers seemed to be in contention to drive for Toro Rosso in Abu Dhabi during the young drivers’ tests, the Italian team decided to give a chance to Stefano Coletti, a GP2 driver in 2011, and Kevin Ceccon, this season’s Auto GP champion who also became the youngest driver to take part in a GP2 race this year at just 17 years old.
The two men will drive a Formula 1 single-seater for the first time in their careers. Stefano Coletti will take the wheel for one and a half days – on November 15th and the morning of the 17th – and Kevin Ceccon will also drive for one and a half days – on November 16th and the afternoon of the 17th.
The Scuderia Toro Rosso is successfully used to train young drivers and we are delighted to add Coletti and Ceccon to the list of students who have passed through the Scuderia Toro Rosso school. None of them are part of the Red Bull Junior Team, as the drivers in that program are currently too young or inexperienced to drive a Formula 1 car, stated Franz Tost.
Charles Pic, who was in talks with Toro Rosso to drive during these tests, was ultimately not selected, just like Jean-Eric Vergne, who will finally drive the Red Bull RB7 during these three testing days.
