Despite speculation suggesting otherwise, Scott Speed
will remain with Scuderia
Toro Rosso for 2007, filling the 22nd and final seat ahead of the first race in Australia in three weeks' time.
Although Speed had always been the favourite to remain with STR, relentless delays by the team in announcing its driver line-up began to stir the rumour mill, a fact exacerbated when
Vitantonio Liuzzi was confirmed earlier this month and Speed wasn't.
Speed's place in the team looked even more vulnerable at the end of last year when
Sebastien Bourdais was invited to test with the team, the Frenchman's immediate pace in an unfamiliar car reviving calls from pundits for him to get a permanent slot in F1.
Nonetheless, contractual qualms rather than alternative options were thought to be the reason behind STR's wait, although question marks over the American's dedication to
Formula One may have also been a factor.
However, considering the fan-fare surrounding the speculation of his future, STR chose a rather low-key moment to announce Speed's contract extension, merely being quoted as saying 'Scuderia
Toro Rosso is happy to confirm that Scott Speed will once again race for the team this season' in a press release following the culmination of the team's three-day test in Bahrain, a test in which Speed got his first taste of the STR2.
With race drivers having now been rubber-stamped, the identity of STR's test driver remains a mystery with a number of names thought to be in the running, including Spyker refugee Tiago Monteiro and
GP2 frontrunner Ernesto Viso. An announcement is set to be made ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on 18 March.
