Senna could switch to Toro Rosso for 2010
It was suggested that Senna, who has signed to make his grand prix debut with Campos, might switch to Red Bull's junior team if the new Spanish outfit fails to make it to the Bahrain season opener.
"It's not true," the energy drink company's motor sport consultant Dr Helmut Marko told 422race.com. "I've never heard about it."
Marko said it is likely that Jaime Alguersuari will be re-signed to take his place in 2010 alongside Toro Rosso's only confirmed driver for this year, Sebastien Buemi.
"It will be Alguersuari," he said. "It's just some contractual details that have to be solved, but generally it's Alguersuari."
Marko suggested an actual date for the announcement of the Alguersuari deal has already been set and that team boss Franz Tost "knows exactly when".
He also confirmed reports that Mirko Bortolotti has been ousted from Red Bull's driver development program.
"It's true, yes. We offered him an F2 seat, but we wanted him to move to Milton Keynes, where all our other drivers are, like Ricciardo and Hartley. They all are working on the simulator and so on, so to have a comparison.
"And he (Bortolotti) declined to go to England. That's why we stopped it," said Marko.
01/14/10 (GMM) Bruno Senna's management has denied reports the Brazilian rookie could switch to the Toro Rosso team for 2010.
Italian and Brazilian sources this week claimed that because Campos is struggling to compile a full budget for its F1 debut, Toro Rosso could take up an option on the 26-year-old rookie and pit him against Sebastien Buemi.
But a report in Brazil's O Globo said those close to Senna, the nephew of the great Ayrton Senna, "vehemently denied" the reports.
However, the claims were given more credence on Wednesday when it was rumored that Campos' Italian car maker Dallara had lost its patience with its Spanish client after months of late or missing payments.
01/13/10 (GMM) Campos could release Bruno Senna so that the Brazilian rookie can sign for the 2010 season with Toro Rosso.
Citing Brazilian sources, that information was reported by Italy's Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport publications, in the wake of claims that the new Spanish team is struggling to compile a full budget for its formula one debut.
It would explain why Toro Rosso has left open the race cockpit alongside Sebastien Buemi that late last season was occupied by the Spanish youngster Jaime Alguersuari.
26-year-old Senna was signed by Campos in the hope that his famous surname would attract more sponsorships on top of his Telmex backing, but it emerged this week that it has not been so.
The Brazilian sources said Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso already has the "right" to sign Senna in the event of difficulties at Campos.
Campos was already in talks with pay drivers Vitaly Petrov and Pastor Maldonado, and the F2 champion Andy Soucek told EFE Radio this week that he is also in contact with the Spanish team.
"I am talking with Campos, and although at the moment it is complicated, I trust that it is an option," said the Spaniard.