Franz Tost has defended the decision to axe Toro Rosso’s driver lineup by saying formula one is “tough”.<\/p>\n
The boss of Red Bull’s Faenza based team admitted that although Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi did a good job, Toro Rosso is a “rookie training school” for the energy drink company.<\/p>\n
“With over two seasons under your belt, you are no longer a rookie,” said Tost.<\/p>\n
“In an ideal world, drivers would move from Scuderia Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing, but there are no vacancies with our sister team right now.<\/p>\n
“It might be seen as a harsh decision, but formula one is a tough environment and Toro Rosso has always been very clear about the principles behind its driver choice,” the Austrian added.<\/p>\n
Alguersuari and Buemi have both admitted they were shocked with this week’s unexpected news, but for Australian Daniel Ricciardo it was a happy surprise.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know if it’s a ballsy move but changing two drivers is something not many teams do,” he told the West Australian newspaper.<\/p>\n
“They’re giving us a proper chance.”<\/p>\n
Countryman Mark Webber is also looking on the bright side, despite the obvious truth that Red Bull is shaping up to replace him sooner or later.<\/p>\n
On the front of his Christmas card to friends and some journalists, the 35-year-old included a cartoon showing him with a present in a fire-lit lounge room, with Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne looking in from the freezing cold.<\/p>\n
“Isn’t it nice of the boys to give me a seat warmer for my car?” Webber’s caption read.<\/p>\n
Indeed, Ricciardo admitted a Red Bull Racing seat is the goal.<\/p>\n
“I imagine if we’re good enough that (seat) could be ours one day,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I think that’s Red Bull’s plan.\u00a0 Ideally they’d want to get a Red Bull junior driver in that seat.”<\/p>\n
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