Buemi 3rd Red Bull driver in 2012?
Sébastien Buemi was not retained at Toro Rosso for 2012, but he could remain within the Red Bull stable as a third driver.
Red Bull decided not to extend Sébastien Buemi as a main driver at Toro Rosso in 2012 – Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo were preferred over Alguersuari and Buemi. Since this announcement, which was a surprise for the Swiss driver, he has been trying to keep a place in F1, which is not easy considering the few available seats and the limited financial means at his disposal.
However, according to the Swiss magazine Blick, Buemi could be offered a new position by Red Bull. He could indeed become the test and reserve driver for the Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso teams in 2012. This means he would be the one to replace a driver if they are unable to race during a Grand Prix. Buemi could also be responsible for the development of the RB8 in the Red Bull Racing team’s simulator – a role that was assigned to Jean-Eric Vergne in 2011.
This would probably be the best opportunity to stay close to F1 for Sébastien Buemi, but neither the Swiss driver nor Red Bull wanted to say more to the Swiss magazine. Buemi seems well-positioned, however, as the other members of the Red Bull junior driver program are the Russian Daniil Kvyat and the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr, both of whom are 17 years old and have no F1 experience unlike Buemi.
