Red Bull could release Buemi if he becomes a main driver again in 2013

Sébastien Buemi finds himself without a seat this year, after being dropped by Scuderia Toro Rosso at the end of 2011. Like Jérôme d’Ambrosio at Lotus, the Swiss driver has bounced back by securing a role as third driver with a top team, Red Bull Racing, the reigning double world champion in both constructors and drivers.

Buemi works a lot behind the scenes for the Austrian team, particularly in the Milton Keynes simulator to prepare for the Grand Prix, testing new parts or new settings during practice sessions. But he doesn’t intend to limit himself to this off-track role, as he stated, quoted by *Blick*: “I don’t want to be just a third driver.”

However, the work done by the Swiss fully satisfies the Red Bull team, but Buemi’s name is sometimes mentioned as a potential candidate for a seat within the Sauber, Sahara Force India, or Caterham teams. Blick reports that Red Bull has offered Buemi to continue in 2013 in the same role as this year, but if he decides to move to another team, the Austrian team will not stand in his way, as Helmut Marko told the Swiss newspaper: « We are more than satisfied with Sébastien’s work. But if he can go race elsewhere, we will not get in his way. »