STR drivers don't fear Ricciardo

Announced as the rising star of the sector Red Bull after its performances in the promotional formulas and during the winter tests, Daniel Ricciardo will take part in Friday practice during each Grand Prix of the 2011 season. It is rumored that the two starters, Buemi and Alguersuari, are not guaranteed to keep their steering wheel in the second half of the season if they do not prove to be sufficiently efficient. And that from then on, Ricciardo would be an ideal replacement.

This situation does not seem to bother the two pilots, however. Toro Rosso current. “I think it's very important for us that Daniel is in the car as we have a lot of new things that weren't there last season” explains Alguersuari. “We know that Daniel is a very fast driver. His opinion will be important to know what we need to improve the car. It's also good for him to have this chance to drive on Fridays and learn the circuits this way. I think Daniel is an important part of the team. He performed very well at the wheel of Red Bull last year. It is important that he can compare the two. When it comes to pressure, it's up to you to manage it. All your life you live with your own pressure. It's never someone else's, it's yours. The one you create for yourself. It's not a negative thing. On the contrary, it’s very positive.”  

As for Buemi, he considers that not driving during the Friday sessions will not be a big loss. “Don't drive every other Grand Prix on Friday morning... To be honest, you don't do much that day and the track isn't clean. We're also going to see another comparison you know... Daniel was very fast behind the wheel of a Red Bull. Now we'll see what happens with a Toro Rosso."

Still, the Toro Rosso team is used to thanking its drivers mid-season. Scott Speed, replaced by Sebastian Vettel in 2007. Or even Sébastien Bourdais by Jaime Alguersuari in 2009. Placing Daniel Ricciardo as 3rd driver will undoubtedly be additional motivation for the two starters…