With rising speculation that
Sebastian Vettel is as good as a shoe-in to graduate to the parent
Red Bull Racing outfit in 2009, three names have emerged as possible replacements for the young German at
Scuderia Toro Rosso next year.
Indeed, whilst Vettel is unlikely to remain with the small Faenza-based squad, there are also question marks over the security of the seat of his current team-mate, multiple Champ Car king Sébastien Bourdais [see separate story –
click here]. The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the 2008 campaign, and though it is believed
STR has the option to extend that deal, there is no guarantee that the team will do so.
Speaking about the squad's potential driver line-up in 2009, STR co-owner Gerhard Berger admitted that Bruno Senna – the 24-year-old nephew of his late friend and former
McLaren team-mate
Ayrton Senna – had manoeuvred himself into contention with his sparking Monaco success in GP2 back in May, a result that has left the young Brazilian currently sitting second in the title standings.
Senna's iSport International team-mate Karun Chandhok, and Arden race-winner Sébastien Buemi – Red Bull young driver programme members both – have similarly been mentioned in connection with an STR role, but Berger hinted that neither may yet be quite as ready for
F1 promotion as is Senna.
“The driver question has not been discussed yet,” the Austrian ten-time grand prix winner insisted in interview with
Salzburger Nachrichten.
“If a place with us should become free, it would make sense to fill it with a driver from the Red Bull new generation. If not, we will have to look somewhere else.
“With his victory in Monaco, Senna moved into the field of vision, but a driver from the Red Bull sphere would be logical.”
