With Daniel Ricciardo now confirmed at Red Bull Racing for 2014 attention now turns to who will replace him at Toro Rosso.
With Red Bull opting to promote from within and allow Australian Daniel Ricciardo to follow in the footsteps of Sebastian Vettel, working through the Red Bull development programme and earning experience with the sister team before making the step-up, it now means that someone else from further down the ranks will earn a promotion within the Red Bull young driver programme.
22-year-old Portuguese driver Antonio Felix da Costa and 19-year-old Spaniard Carlos Sainz junior both impressed during the recent young driver test at Silverstone and both could make the step-up to Formula One next season with Toro Rosso.
Whilst Jean-Eric Vergne’s seat remains open to him at Toro Rosso, he may choose to look elsewhere after being overlooked for the driver at Red Bull.
‘We are very pleased to see Daniel make this move, which means he will follow in the footsteps of Sebastian Vettel, As to who will replace Daniel at Toro Rosso in 2014, we will now look at all our options and make a decision at a later date, as there is no immediate need to rush.’ Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost told Sky Sports.
‘When Dietrich Mateschitz acquired the team that became Toro Rosso, his stated aim was that it should be the final step in the training of young drivers, with the eventual goal of graduating to the ‘senior’ team.
‘Daniel’s move thus vindicates the work of the Red Bull Young Driver Programme and also proves that we at Toro Rosso have given him a good racing education.’
Christian Horner on Ricciardo deal
Daniel Ricciardo confirmed at Red Bull for 2014
