Autoblog

Scuderia Toro Rosso wants to jump three places with the STR8 [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Racing

Toro Rosso's STR8 Formula One car has gone backward in order to go forward. The team had been trying to optimize a 'double floor' sidepod design for the last couple of seasons but never got it where they wanted it - the team finished eighth in the Constructor's Championship in 2011, ninth in 2012. Chief Designer Luca Furbatto went back to a more traditional sidepod design with the STR8, and additionally worked on areas of weight distribution, redesigning the rear end to be more compact, developing a more aerodynamic rear suspension that provided more setup options and providing a season-long development track for the aero department. He said the only carryover part from the STR7 is the steering wheel.

The new approach is part of a complete revamp of the team itself, said to be about half the size of a top team: STR poached James Key, ex-technical director at Sauber, late last year, has restructured its aerodynamics division, added a vehicle performance department and worked to strengthen the communication between its base in Faenza, Italy and its aero personnel in the UK. The team wants to finish sixth in the Constructor's Championship this year, and that would mean getting ahead of all of the other midfield teams in Williams, Sahara Force India and Sauber.

The first video below sums up the launch of the car, the second goes into detail about how the STR8 is going to do what it does.

Continue reading Scuderia Toro Rosso wants to jump three places with the STR8 [w/video]

Scuderia Toro Rosso wants to jump three places with the STR8 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari's Montezemolo slams Ecclestone over Vettel overtake investigation

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Sebastion Vettel recently celebrated his third Formula One title by driving his Red Bull Racing car through the streets of Graz, Austria, but Ferrari is still caught up in the controversy it stirred up by asserting that Vettel made an illegal pass under yellow at the Brazilian Grand Prix. After Ferrari asked for clarification on the pass, Bernie Ecclestone called the whole issue a "complete joke," and now Luca di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari (shown above), has responded to Ecclestone's comments with some scathing words of his own.

According to ESPN F1, Montezemolo sarcastically said "you have to show respect for your elders, especially when they get to that stage in which they are no longer in control of what they say" in regards to Ecclestone. Seemingly putting the whole controversy to rest, though, Montezemolo went on to congratulate Vettel and Red Bull for the win in what he refers to as a difficult season.

The pass in question came on the fourth lap of the rainy race when Vettel seemed to have passed Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne under a local yellow. In the final standings, the resulting 20-second penalty would have knocked Vettel from sixth to eighth position, which would have been enough for Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to win the Driver's Championship by a single point. Despite flashing yellow lights, the FIA said that a green flag was waving making the pass legal.

Ferrari's Montezemolo slams Ecclestone over Vettel overtake investigation originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari fails to take F1 driver's title from Vettel on questionable pass

George Kennedy — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Racing

On November 25, Sebastian Vettel took sixth place at the Brazilian Gran Prix, earning him enough points to take the 2012 Formula One Driver's Championship. It wouldn't be an F1 season finale without some drama, though, and this season, it came in the form of allegations by Ferrari that the Red Bull driver made an illegal pass under a yellow light.

Ferrari is looking into on-board footage that may show Vettel passing Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne, which would have resulted in a 20-second penalty if discovered during the race. If that had happened, it would have resulted in Vettel falling to eighth place, which would have caused him to lose the Driver's Championship by a single point to Fernando Alonso and the Ferrari team.

Ferrari has asked the FIA to review the footage, but it is reportedly unlikely that the Formula One governing body will penalize Vettel. According to the UK's Telegraph, the FIA has taken the position that it will not apply penalties retroactively, and to do so would reverse that stance.

Ferrari fails to take F1 driver's title from Vettel on questionable pass originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toro Rosso unveils STR7 at season-opening F1 test in Spain

Noah Joseph — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

With the first test session of the season now under way in Jerez, Spain, the remaining teams - that is, at least, the ones that have their cars ready - are presenting their new designs for the 2012 Formula One World Championship. The latest among them: Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Long known as the Red Bull B-squad, STR positions itself as something of a training squad for new drivers moving into F1 as an extension of the company's young driver training program. And for that reason it axed both of its drivers (Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastian Buemi) in favor of fresh talents Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Like most (make that all so far except McLaren), the new STR7 which they'll be driving this year is distinguished from last year's field by a rather unsightly, platypus-style stepped nose and tighter sidepods and hindquarters. Ferrari once again provides its Type 056 V8 engine, driving through a seven-speed gearbox and assisted by a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) and Drag Reduction System in the rear wing.

With its new drivers and car, Toro Rosso hopes to finish sixth or seventh in the championship this year; an ambitious goal considering that the last time it finished that well was in 2008 when Sebastian Vettel won the Italian Grand Prix against all odds - a victory that still stands as the only podium finish out of the 108 races the team has contested in its six years of racing. We'll be watching to see how they fare.

Toro Rosso unveils STR7 at season-opening F1 test in Spain originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toro Rosso ditches its drivers for fresh talent in 2012

Noah Joseph — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Many eyebrows were raised when Red Bull jumped from sponsoring existing F1 teams to buying its own 2005, but then the energy-drink giant surprised the pundits again by buying an unprecedented second team in 2006. So why'd they do it? To give the aspiring talents, which the outfit nurtures through its extensive young driver development program, a leg up into the pinnacle of motorsport.

That's what has prompted Scuderia Toro Rosso to change its drivers from time to time, but it usually does so one driver at a time. But the upcoming season marks a drastic change for the team, which has just dumped its current drivers in favor of an entirely fresh line-up.

In the place of Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, STR will be fielding newcomers Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne for the 2012 championship. Both are known entities among Toro Rosso's engineers, having tested for the team previously: Ricciardo as the team's official back-up driver, and Vergne as the team's nominee for the Abu Dhabi young driver test this season.

Australia's Ricciardo also drove eleven races this season for HRT, and both he and France's Vergne are former champions of the British Formula Three series. As for Alguersuari and Buemi, well, they both drove admirably these past few seasons, but with months still to go before the start of the new season, hopefully they'll find drives elsewhere.

Toro Rosso ditches its drivers for fresh talent in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High-speed camera slows Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso way down

Noah Joseph — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Videos

The word "slow" doesn't often factor into F1 racing, where everything moves fast. The cars move fast, the pit crews have to move fast, even the cameras have to move fast to keep up with the action. But lately things have been slowing down. Not because of restrictions on performance, which at best manage to hold back the tides temporarily as technology outpaces legislation, but with the use of new camera technology.

With high-speed, high-frame-rate video technology, cameras are able to slow the action way down to let us see all the details we'd normally miss because they're just happening too darn fast. One camera crew went down to the Misano World Circuit with such a setup to film Jaime Alguersuari doing his thing with a Scuderia Toro Rosso grand prix car. Follow the jump to watch the stunning frame-by-frame results at the very limit of traction.

Continue reading High-speed camera slows Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso way down

High-speed camera slows Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso way down originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Bull's investment in F1 tops $690 million

Noah Joseph — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Earnings/Financials

Red Bull chief Dietrich Mateschitz with his team

Just how much does it cost to run an F1 team? Budgets differ greatly from championship frontrunners to back-markers, but even in a general sense it's usually hard to say, because F1 budgets are typically closely-guarded secrets. Reports indicate, however, that Red Bull has spent a whopping £422 million (equivalent to $690m by today's conversion rates) from 2005 (when it entered the sport) through 2009.

The report, from the business editor at racing news site Pitpass, ran in The Independent, breaking down yearly expenditures made by the energy drink concern to Red Bull Technology. The outfit is the direct parent of both Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, and until 2010 when new regulations banned shared chassis, was responsible for designing and producing the cars for both RBR and STR.

The finances, therefore, are split between the two teams, but it's no secret which one gets the lion's share. In 2007, for example, Red Bull reportedly invested £89.2m ($146m) in F1, of which £78.2m ($128m) went to Red Bull Racing, the remaining £11m ($18m) to Toro Rosso. In, 2008 the beverage company invested £82.5m ($135m), £79m ($129m) of which funded Red Bull Racing. In 2009, investment jumped to £106.8m ($175m), with £96.9m ($158m) going to RBR.

Could all that cash possibly be worth it? Aside from the notion that you can't put a price on victory - and that Red Bull Racing is the current reigning champion - industry insiders, considering the on-air exposure and positive brand association from which Red Bull benefits, say it most definitely is. In fact, according to the report, Red Bull would have to pay roughly double what it does to buy that kind of exposure. And don't forget, of course, that F1 is only one of many sports the company directly invests in. It sponsors countless sporting events globally and fields teams in soccer, hockey and NASCAR.

Red Bull's investment in F1 tops $690 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sebastien Buemi collides with spectator at Red Bull F1 demonstration

Noah Joseph — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:04:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Here's a little piece of advice for everyone: If you're at an F1 event - whether it's a grand prix or a demonstration - don't run in front of the race car.

You'd think that would be pretty common knowledge, but one spectator in Japan evidently didn't get the memo. At a demonstration event held there by Red Bull Racing, a spectator ran out onto the improvised track, right as Sebastian Buemi drove by.

Fortunately, the pedestrian appeared to have been drinking his Red Bull, as he jumped at the last second to avoid what could have been a more severe collision. Both he and Buemi - a driver for Red Bull's Scuderia Toro Rosso "B" squad - were reportedly unhurt in the incident, which recalled mishaps that were all too common in the old days of rallying, but is something you hardly see in the tightly controlled environment of Formula One.

Follow the jump to watch a pair of videos showing the incident from different angles .

Continue reading Sebastien Buemi collides with spectator at Red Bull F1 demonstration

Sebastien Buemi collides with spectator at Red Bull F1 demonstration originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia

Noah Joseph — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2011 Red Bull RB7 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you had told us 20 years ago that a beverage brand would be dominating Formula One, we'd wonder what negative side effects said energy drink might be having on your grasp of reality. But after title-sponsoring the Sauber team as early as 1995, Red Bull surprised everyone by buying not one, but two F1 teams: Jaguar Racing (née Stewart Grand Prix) and Minardi. But five and six years, respectively, since the Austrian company took over the two struggling teams, Red Bull can now lay claim to both titles in the Formula One World Championship.

The premier Red Bull Racing team will have a real job on its hands to fend off the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren (to say nothing of the other dozen challengers, including its own B-squad) in defending its titles this season, and this is the car with which they hope to do it.

Designed by Adrian Newey, the RB7 is, as you might have guessed, the seventh Red Bull grand prix car. It carries the same Renault engine as last year (also used by both Lotus teams), with its own proprietary gearbox mated to the KERS regenerative braking system. And of course, as defending champions, the car has the honor of wearing numbers 1 and 2 for returning pilots Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, respectively. Last season, the duo claimed pole 15 out of 19 races and went on to win nine grands prix to take the championship.

Along with it, Red Bull's sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso also unveiled its new STR6 at Valencia - where Vettel incidentally took the top slot on the time sheets for the first practice session of the season. The second car developed in-house at STR headquarters in Faenza will be driven once again by Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari under Ferrari power, and bears the same high nose design employed by most of the new designs this season. With the new car, Toro Rosso hopes to improve on the 9th place constructors' finish from last season that placed them just ahead of the newcomers as the worst-performing returning team on the grid. In the process, STR will undoubtedly be aiming to catch up with the sixth place they seized in 2008 after Vettel captured the team's only victory - and only podium, for that matter.

Scope out the two new taurine-fueled racers in the pair of high-resolution image galleries below and the press releases after the jump, and watch this space for more as rival teams incrementally unveil their new challengers as well.

Gallery: 2011 Red Bull RB7

Gallery: 2011 Scuderia Toro Rosso STR6

[Sources: Red Bull Racing, Scudreria Toro Rosso]

Continue reading Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia

Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: What could be better than donuts on a beach?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Jaime Alguersuari takes his RedBull F1 car to the beach - Click above to watch video after the jump

Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari got to spend some time at the beach in the Dominican Republic, only he did it with his car.

Normally, a Formula One pilot does their best to stay out of the sand trap, but Alguersuari ran his monococque up and down Juanillo Capcana Beach, then finished off with some donuts because that's apparently what you do when you take a 700-horsepower open-wheeler to the beach and you can't find the bar... Follow the jump to see the vid.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: What could be better than donuts on a beach?

Video: What could be better than donuts on a beach? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sébastien Buemi unhurt in crazy Shanghai F1 GP practice crash

Zach Bowman — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety, Videos

Sébastien Buemi crashes during practice - Click above to watch video after the jump

Sébastien Buemi ran into a bit of trouble during practice at the Shanghai International Circuit. After busting down the back straight, the Formula One racer applied the brakes, apparently causing enough stress on a previously untested set of uprights to cause the pieces to shatter. When that happened, the whole front suspension was compromised, and what ensued can only be called catastrophic failure.

The Toro Rosso car's front wheels shot off of the racer like a cheap McDonalds toy, leaving Buemi to fend for himself as he slid into the gravel pit. Fortunately, the Swiss racer was unharmed. A report from The Guardian notes that on his return to the garage, Buemi had a few choice words for his team.

Meanwhile, teammate Jaime Alguersuari had no problem cranking out a total of 43 laps without incident, finishing eighth fastest in the process. The Chinese Grand Prix kicks off this weekend, and the Toro Rosso engineers are confident they can get Buemi's car back together before the green flag drops. Hit the jump to see the accident for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Tyler!

[Sources: YouTube, The Guardian]

Continue reading Video: Sébastien Buemi unhurt in crazy Shanghai F1 GP practice crash

Video: Sébastien Buemi unhurt in crazy Shanghai F1 GP practice crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toro Rosso launches its "first" F1 car: the 2010 STR5

Noah Joseph — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing

2010 Toro Rosso STR5 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Big deal, you say? Another F1 car, you say? Well it's a big deal in Faenza, where Scuderia Toro Rosso is based. That's because, in accordance with new regulations, this is the first car designed and built entirely in house since Red Bull acquired the team in 2005.

The STR5, then, might as well be called the STR1, because its predecessors were all designed by its sister team Red Bull Racing. Now STR's on its own, and this is the sword it will wield for the 2010 Formula One World Championship. Like other teams, Toro Rosso designed its car around the double diffuser which it adopted after a clarification to the rules mid-season last year. Also like its competitors, the STR5 abandons the KERS regenerative braking system, but takes on a bigger fuel tank in light of the new ban on mid-race refueling.

Although Volkswagen has joined STR as a nominal sponsor, "the other Scuderia" sticks with Ferrari power for 2010. With Toyota and BMW gone, the entire grid is being powered by only four engine suppliers: Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth. The STR5 will be piloted once again by Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, who - due to the mid-season test ban - is now in Valenica where the car was launched, undertaking his first F1 test session despite having raced last season. Click on the thumbnails below to jump to the mega-gallery of high-resolution images.

Gallery: 2010 Scuderia Toro Rosso STR5

[Source: Scuderia Toro Rosso]

Toro Rosso launches its "first" F1 car: the 2010 STR5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F1 Update: Heidfeld signs as Mercedes GP test driver, Alguersuari confirmed at Toro Rosso

Noah Joseph — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mercedes-Benz

The off season in Formula One is nothing if not a big game of musical chairs. Sometimes drivers end up pretty much exactly where they were before the season ended - as were the majority of cases in between 2008 and 2009 - but sometimes everything gets reshuffled. This year things are looking more like the latter as the grid comes closer in to focus until the start of the season.

Following the recent announcement of Spanish veteran Pedro de la Rossa's move from his longtime role as test driver for McLaren to the race seat at Sauber comes the inverse for Nick Heidfeld. The German driver - who has scored a pole position and marked two fastest laps but has yet to win a single race - has spent the majority of his career with the Sauber team, having debuted with Prost-Peugeot in 2000 and spent a season each with Jordan and Williams. This coming season, however, he'll be relegated to test-driving and reserve duties with the championship-winning Mercedes GP team. Heidfeld had been considered a top candidate for the race seat with the newly-christened outfit until Michael Schumacher came in, and was linked to a potential move to Renault alongside his former team-mate Robert Kubica. The announcement from Mercedes GP is expected imminently.

Meanwhile Toro Rosso has confirmed, at long last, that Jaime Alguersuari will remain with the team, driving alongside Sebastien Buemi for the upcoming season. The announcements bring in two of the last remaining few parts of the puzzle, leaving only the empty Renault cockpit and the pay-drive seats at USF1 and the remaining one at Campos vacant.

[Sources: ESPN, Autosport]

F1 Update: Heidfeld signs as Mercedes GP test driver, Alguersuari confirmed at Toro Rosso originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the other Schumacher pondering a F1 comeback too?

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Rumormill

Ralf Schumacher entered Formula One six years after his brother Michael, with the same Jordan team that introduced his sibling to the grid. That's about where the similarities end. After an 11-year career with Williams, Jordan, and Toyota, Ralf retired in 2007 and ended up in the DTM series. He was a good driver and had a decent car early in his Williams tenure, but he simply didn't have the edge. He ended up with fewer race wins, six, than his brother did World Championships.

Now that Michael has returned to the circus, it looks like Ralf wants his turn under the Big Top again. Ralf said, "I know that my reputation suffered during my time at Toyota but I left that behind me. I know what I can do and I feel ready to do it again." Having turned down a race seat with one of the new teams, other rumors suggest that he's talking to Toro Rosso, where he would replace Jaime Alguersuari and partner Sebastien Buemi. Toro Rosso and Renault - and Sauber, depending - are essentially the only teams who have openings and a chance of giving Ralf a car he can do something with.

[Source: GP Update | Image: Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty]

Is the other Schumacher pondering a F1 comeback too? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

If you thought the series of driver changes in the middle of this ongoing Formula One season was something, it's nothing compared to the grand game of musical chairs expected to ensue as the season draws to a close. With BMW closing up shop, several new teams joining the grid and at least a couple of former world champions switching teams for next year's championship, we're shaping up for the biggest jumble the F1 circus has seen in years. Follow the jump to see how it's unfolding so far.

[Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Continue reading End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't Text and Drive: Bourdais reportedly fired by Toro Rosso via SMS

Noah Joseph — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

The rules of text messaging seem to keep on sliding to the point where what was once unacceptable is now common practice - but there's got to be a line drawn somewhere. Take Sebastien Bourdais, for example, who claims that he was fired via SMS.

The French racer, who dominated the Champ Car series in its final four years, didn't have as much luck in Formula One and was recently canned by Toro Rosso after failing to perform over the last two years. Bourdais sued Toro Rosso for breach of contract and reportedly settled out of court for remaining salary plus $2 million in damages, but he's not done lashing out at the team for how they handled his termination. According to Bourdais, he received the official kiss-off by a simple text message. Call us old-fashioned if you like, but we think that being fired warrants a face-to-face, or at least a phone call.

[Source: F1-Live | Image: Peter Fox/Getty]

Don't Text and Drive: Bourdais reportedly fired by Toro Rosso via SMS originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Statement on Ferrari website lashes out against Toro Rosso "indiscretion"

Noah Joseph — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Sour grapes much? Both of Italy's Formula One teams had to switch drivers mid-season during the year: Scuderia Toro Rosso (because Sebastien Bourdais wasn't working out) and Scuderia Ferrari (due to Felipe Massa injury). However, due to the comprehensive ban on in-season testing, neither could put their replacements into the cockpits of their F1 cars until the following grand prix weekend. So STR's newcomer Jaime Alguersuari was thrown straight into the deep end to sink or swim, while Ferrari, for its part, has been unable to give a returning Michael Schumacher any seat time in the new car. Not that the Maranello squad didn't try - their request for a one-time exemption was opposed by Williams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso. Now a message has appeared on the Ferrari website lashing out at the junior Toro Rosso team.

The statement calls out STR - which, it's worth noting, has used Ferrari customer engines for these past three seasons - as a "team that hasn't won anything for years and yet didn't pass over the opportunity to demonstrate once more a lack of spirit of fair play", while noting that Ferrari had given its consent for an exceptional test for Alguersuari. Ouch. (For the record, though, Toro Rosso won the Italian Grand Prix last year.) We would have to assume the message was somehow posted by a rogue with access to the Ferrari website, but that only begs the question as to why, several days later, it still hasn't been taken down. Follow the link to read the message in full on the Ferrari website.

[Source: Ferrari | Image: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty]

Statement on Ferrari website lashes out against Toro Rosso "indiscretion" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Max Mosley, Sebastien Bourdais settle individual lawsuits

Noah Joseph — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal

Those who bemoan modern Formula One settling its rivalries in the courtroom instead of on the race track have another set of examples to bring up at the pub as news emerges of the settlement of two lawsuits related to the top-tier racing series have emerged over the course of the weekend.

In one case, Scuderia Toro Rosso and its dejected driver Sebastien Bourdais reportedly settled a dispute of the premature termination of the contract between the two parties. When the team fired Bourdais in favor of Jamie Alguersuari, Bourdais proclaimed that he was looking into legal recourse against the team. Reports now indicate that the two parties settled out of court, with STR reportedly paying Bourdais salary plus damages in the amount of $2.1 million. Speculation is rising that the French driver will return to racing in the U.S., where he racked up an unprecedented four consecutive Champ Car titles before his ill-fated move to Formula One.

Meanwhile, departing FIA president Max Mosley has reportedly settled his case against German newspaper Bild over the publication of his sordid sex scandal for which he sued the publisher for $2.35 million. According to reports, Mosley and Bild settled for $290,000 which will be distributed to two charities, as well as the publication of an interview to clear the record. The settlement follows the $100,000 in damages and $760,000 in legal fees awarded last year to Mosley from the News of the World, the British tabloid which originally broke the story.

[Sources: F1-Live and GrandPrix.com | Image: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty]

Max Mosley, Sebastien Bourdais settle individual lawsuits originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Toro Rosso confirms Alguersuari to replace Bourdais

Noah Joseph — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

It's official, Ladies and Gentlemen: Sebastien Bourdais' career in Formula One is finished. In his place will be the youngest driver ever to race in F1, Spanish pilot Jamie Alguersuari. Scuderia Toro Rosso, out from whose cockpit Bourdais has evidently climbed for the last time and which Alguersuari will now call home, says it's taking the opportunity to promote one of its top protégés and doesn't expect the young Spaniard to begin yielding results immediately - especially since he has barely had the opportunity to even test the car away from the limelight of a Grand Prix weekend. Leg-up opportunities aside, it can't be ignored that with Alguersuari comes sponsorship cash from two major companies backing their countryman's career: Oil giant Repsol and savings bank La Caixa.

Alguersuari will be driving alongside Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi, both of whom will be wringing out a significantly updated car at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. Missing out on the new package only served to further irritate the departing Bourdais, who, far from taking the dismissal lying down, has announced that he's looking into legal repercussions for STR's premature termination of his contract. Meanwhile, veteran test driver and close confident Marc Géné says that the timing of Alguersuari's race debut could make his the most challenging in F1 history.

But Jamie and the Red Bull Junior development program that brought him up through the ranks aren't about to take it easy - while racing in F1 for Toro Rosso, Alguersuari will continue to compete in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship in which he was already racing, making his one heck of a learning curve. Official announcement in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Scuderia Toro Rosso | Image: Peter Fox/Getty]

Continue reading Officially Official: Toro Rosso confirms Alguersuari to replace Bourdais

Officially Official: Toro Rosso confirms Alguersuari to replace Bourdais originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toro Rosso reportedly replaces Sebastien Bourdais with 19-year-old Jamie Alguersuari

Noah Joseph — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Those pulling for Sebastien Bourdais will undoubtedly be disappointed by the latest reports emanating from the Formula One paddock. After winning the now-defunct Champ Car title four times in a row, the French driver switched to Formula One with Scuderia Toro Rosso last season, but while his team-mate Sebastian Vettel scored race wins, Bourdais never managed to do better than a couple of seventh-place finishes. Now, after his third early retirement this season at the German Grand Prix this past weekend, reports indicate that he's been given the axe.

Taking Bourdais' seat at STR for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix will be Jamie Alguersuari, a Red Bull prodigy, recently promoted reserve/test driver for both Red Bull Racing and reigning champion in the British Formula 3 championship. Reports suggest that Alguersuari's promotion to the race seat serves as preparation for his full-time campaign next season and was fueled, so to speak, by a pending sponsorship deal with Spanish oil company Repsol, which supports Alguersuari's career. If the reports are confirmed and the 19-year-old racer starts the Hugarian GP for STR, he'll be the youngest ever to race in F1.

While the news undoubtedly comes as a disappointment for Bourdais and his fans, it surely disappoints another French multiple-champion as well. As rumors have escalated over the past few days about Bourdais' departure, five-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb publicly threw his hat into the ring to replace his countryman. Loeb previously tested an F1 car for sister team Red Bull Racing, and has long contemplated a switch of disciplines. But while Loeb's declaration infuriated Bourdais, but it looks like his move from WRC to F1 will have to wait a little longer.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Peter Fox/Getty]

Toro Rosso reportedly replaces Sebastien Bourdais with 19-year-old Jamie Alguersuari originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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