TAKUMA SATO is essential for Formula One!!　　　

This is very important message;

ONE FINAL DECISION... 　トロロッソのもうひとりのドライバーは３週間以内に決定

ONE FINAL DECISION...
15 | 01 | 09

Team Pincipal Franz Tost says the final driver decision will be made within three weeks. Here he talks 2009, the new regulations and who will be Buemi's team-mate for the coming season...

Toro Rosso obviously had a lot of options for 2009 drivers, so what finally tipped the balance in Buemi’s favour?
Franz Tost: It’s not strictly true that we had a lot of options, as there are not that many drivers on the market that we would want to have driving for us. The decision was taken because he is a highly competent driver with a good level of natural speed. He is young and therefore has a future ahead of him and he is also a product of the Red Bull Young Driver programme.

When was the decision made?
FT: The decision was made at the end of December 2008.

Buemi was widely considered to be the favourite for the seat. Was he as obvious a choice as everyone seems to think?
FT: We considered the matter carefully. There was some discussion about whether or not this appointment came one year too early for him. We considered whether it might be better for him to spend another year racing in GP2. However, in the end we decided to sign him up with Toro Rosso for 2009, because he did a very good job in the test sessions last November and December. He compared well with the other drivers we used and proved that he is committed to the team, bringing with him a very positive attitude. These are the reasons that Red Bull decided to sign him.

How difficult is it to replace someone like Vettel, who was obviously very quick, but who also seemed very valuable to team morale?
FT: Replacing a winner is always difficult. Vettel has a strong character and he worked well with everyone in the team, from engineers to mechanics. He was popular with the team and is liked by all of us. We will definitely miss him.

How do Buemi and Vettel compare in terms of speed, consistency and mental strength?
FT: I can’t answer this question now. We need to give Buemi time to adapt to his new environment. Don’t forget that before racing for Scuderia Toro Rosso for one and a half seasons, Vettel had already been a test driver at race weekends for BMW and even competed in one grand prix for them (Indianapolis ’07.) We will need a bit more time to evaluate Buemi properly and you must also take into account that he is over a year younger than Vettel.

Buemi has several F1 tests and a lot of GP2 experience under his belt. Is he the ‘finished product’, or does the team expect him to need time to find his feet in F1?
FT: In life, and especially in Formula One, you are never a “finished product.” With each passing day, you learn something new, either from your own experience or from what others teach you. That is the case for Buemi, who has yet to line up on the grid for a Formula One grand prix. He will definitely gain in experience throughout the season, while learning that Formula One is a very complex discipline.

How strong is his technical feedback, and how much will be expected from him in terms of development?
FT: We have seen the content of his technical feedback increase every time he got in the car during the test sessions. He is now at quite a good level in this respect. But we do not expect him to immediately be in a position to develop the new car. First of all, we have to start running with the new car to see where we are with it. As always, a lot depends on how competitive our new car will be. And for 2009, there’s a whole raft of new elements to take into consideration – the slick tyres, a different wheelbase, the KERS system and a completely new aero package. In all these cases, the drivers will have to work with their engineers to ensure that they are in harmony with the new car to get the maximum from the package available. This year, that will even be a challenge for the most experienced drivers on the grid.

How far away is an announcement regarding the second car?
FT: We expect to be in a position to make an announcement regarding the second driver within the next three weeks.

What factors are governing the decision?
FT: Currently we are in negotiation with Bourdais and Sato, which is no secret as they both tested for us in November and December and Sebastien raced for us last year. Both drivers are pretty closely matched. I cannot deny that any funding these drivers could bring to the team is also a factor. It is no secret that we are one of the smaller teams and even with current moves to reduce costs in Formula One, our budget is an important consideration and just like some other teams, what a driver can bring to the team financially is also a consideration. In an ideal world, we would also be looking for the quickest driver we can have.

Is it fair to assume that Bourdais and Sato are the main contenders?
FT: Yes.

Were Bourdais' performances during 2008 better than his point score suggested? Does he deserve to remain in F1?
FT: Yes, he deserves to remain in F1, because he drove some very good races and in the latter part of the season, with the exception of Singapore, he always got through to the final part of Qualifying. Overall, his performance was better than his points tally for the year would suggest.

Is Button an option?
FT: No, because he is contracted to another competitor.

Has STR set a particularly high benchmark for itself this season following its success in the latter part of 2008? Will those results be hard to follow up?
FT: Toro Rosso had a fantastic 2008 season, with the team improving all year long. At the moment, we are working as hard as possible to prepare for the coming season. As of today, it is hard to say whether we can maintain or improve on what we achieved last year. Until we have run with the new car and established how good it is, it is impossible to make an informed prognosis.

Could the random element associated with the huge technical changes that are coming in for this year work to STR’s benefit?
FT: I don’t think so, because with this major overhaul to the technical regulations, the bigger teams will be able to react much quicker than us, because we simply do not have the resources. If there is a problem with any of the new elements, the bigger teams can cope better than us. Small teams have a much easier time when there are no major changes and you have a technical status quo. History has shown that whenever there is a major change in the sport, the big teams react quickest, leaving the smaller ones to catch up.

http://www.scuderiatororosso.com/Team/Team-Profile/News/One-Final-Decision/

トロロッソのドライバーの一人が決定

BUEMI TO RACE FOR SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO
09 | 01 | 09

Scuderia Toro Rosso is pleased to announce that Sébastien Buemi will drive for the team in the 2009 Formula 1 season.
The 20-year-old from Aigle, Switzerland competed in GP2 last year, when he was also the reserve driver for our sister team, Red Bull Racing. For most of his racing career, he has been supported by Red Bull as part of its Junior Driver programme.
Team Principal, Franz Tost commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sébastien, who was already part of the Red Bull family, to our team. Our engineers have been impressed with his speed in the car and his ability to learn and progress during the testing he has carried out for us last year. That, along with some impressive performances in GP2 was enough to convince us to give him the drive. His appointment also fulfils the aims of the Red Bull Junior Driver programme and meets Dietrich Mateschitz’s intention to use Scuderia Toro Rosso as a showcase for young drivers the company has supported in the lower formulae.”
“I am naturally very happy to be driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso this year,” said Sébastien Buemi. “Being a Formula 1 driver has always been my target, since I first started racing. This year, I will do all I can to bring home the best possible results and to show Red Bull that the confidence it has shown in me is justified. I want to thank Red Bull for this opportunity and for all the help they have given me in my career, dating back to 2005.”
Sébastien’s first track outing as an official Scuderia Toro Rosso driver will be at the test session held at the Portimao Circuit in Portugal later this month. An announcement about who will be Buemi’s team-mate will be made at some point before the Australian Grand Prix!

琢磨選手の発表はまだかよぉおおおおおおおおおおおお┗（-＿-;）┛