Speed, Tonio secure in Toro Rosso seat?
At Istanbul last weekend, the half owner of the second Red Bull team, Gerhard Berger, admitted that it is almost certain that Toro Rosso's current line-up is to be retained beyond the end of 2006.
''It's not finally decided but we are quite happy with both of them,'' the Austrian said.
23-year-old Speed (right), who is F1's only American born driver at the moment, was quoted as assuming that he will still be a team member in 2007.
''Next year is going to be a good opportunity for both me and Tonio, for sure,'' said the Californian.
''We have enough experience, and we are going to be in a good situation.
''Our team is going to be very good next year.''
06/30/06 (GMM) Inside Red Bull's impressive 'Energy Station', a tug of war is presently in play for the services in 2007 of Vitantonio Liuzzi.
Junior team Toro Rosso's co-owner, Gerhard Berger, is making it clear that he wants to keep the Italian on-board, but chiefs at Red Bull Racing reportedly want to promote him to the senior squad.
''Overall I think he's a guy we can build up into a quite good driver,'' the Austrian veteran told 'Speed TV' at Indianapolis on Friday.
California's Scott Speed is also likely to stay on board beyond 2006.
More uncertain, however, is the identity – and capacity – of the Faenza-based team's engine supplier for next season. A contract to continue the V10-route with Cosworth exists, but there are also suggestions that STR could bow to the V8 alternative — possibly with Ferrari.
''I don't know if (the V10 option) stays in the regulation or not,'' he continued, ''(but) if I look at the cost side, I think it's the most realistic thing.''
06/28/06 (GMM) It appears more and more likely that Toro Rosso will race into its second season with an unchanged driver line-up.
Red Bull's motor sport consultant, Helmut Marko, has been quoted as saying that while Vitantonio Liuzzi is a little quicker at times, his Californian teammate Scott Speed is also doing a good job so far.
''Scott is still in a learning phase,'' the Austrian told Motorsport Aktuell magazine.
Speed, too, is clearly feeling fairly comfortable in the Italian-based stable co-owned by Gerhard Berger.
He said: ''Ever since the fourth and fifth races, I have been more relaxed and able to enjoy it because I know that I belong here and I know that I will be here for a long time.''
[Editor's Note: As long as the lone American in F1 is driving for the worse team and not in contention to win or make it on the podium, F1 will never gain in popularity in the USA. Running at the back the field, or close to it, will just give Bernie Ecclestone another chance to point out that American drivers are inferior. He's done so on many occasions.]
08/30/06 (GMM) Scott Speed has reinforced speculation that both he and Toro Rosso teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi will be retained by the Italian team in 2007.
At Istanbul last weekend, the half owner of the second Red Bull team, Gerhard Berger, admitted that it is almost certain that Toro Rosso's current line-up is to be retained beyond the end of 2006.
''It's not finally decided but we are quite happy with both of them,'' the Austrian said.
23-year-old Speed, who is F1's only American born driver at the moment, was quoted as assuming that he will still be a team member in 2007.
''Next year is going to be a good opportunity for both me and Tonio, for sure,'' said the Californian.
''We have enough experience, and we are going to be in a good situation.
''Our team is going to be very good next year.''
06/30/06 (GMM) Inside Red Bull's impressive 'Energy Station', a tug of war is presently in play for the services in 2007 of Vitantonio Liuzzi.
Junior team Toro Rosso's co-owner, Gerhard Berger, is making it clear that he wants to keep the Italian on-board, but chiefs at Red Bull Racing reportedly want to promote him to the senior squad.
''Overall I think he's a guy we can build up into a quite good driver,'' the Austrian veteran told 'Speed TV' at Indianapolis on Friday.
California's Scott Speed is also likely to stay on board beyond 2006.
More uncertain, however, is the identity – and capacity – of the Faenza-based team's engine supplier for next season. A contract to continue the V10-route with Cosworth exists, but there are also suggestions that STR could bow to the V8 alternative — possibly with Ferrari.
''I don't know if (the V10 option) stays in the regulation or not,'' he continued, ''(but) if I look at the cost side, I think it's the most realistic thing.''
06/28/06 (GMM) It appears more and more likely that Toro Rosso will race into its second season with an unchanged driver line-up.
Red Bull's motor sport consultant, Helmut Marko, has been quoted as saying that while Vitantonio Liuzzi is a little quicker at times, his Californian teammate Scott Speed is also doing a good job so far.
''Scott is still in a learning phase,'' the Austrian told Motorsport Aktuell magazine.
Speed, too, is clearly feeling fairly comfortable in the Italian-based stable co-owned by Gerhard Berger.
He said: ''Ever since the fourth and fifth races, I have been more relaxed and able to enjoy it because I know that I belong here and I know that I will be here for a long time.''
[Editor's Note: As long as the lone American in F1 is driving for the worse team and not in contention to win or make it on the podium, F1 will never gain in popularity in the USA. Running at the back the field, or close to it, will just give Bernie Ecclestone another chance to point out that American drivers are inferior. He's done so on many occasions.]