Jaime Alguersuari: Toro Rosso still on their learning curve – Formula 1
Formula 1 team Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari has said that his team is still on their learning curve.
He also mentioned that he does not think that the team has utilised 100 percent of its car’s potential for showing their best run on the grid.
The team confirmed Alguersuari in the ending races of the 2009 season. However, he started his first race with Toro Rosso in the 2010 season with his teammate Sebastien Buemi. Both drivers performance during the season was average as they picked up 13 points.
At the end of the 2010 season, both Alguersuari and Buemi were confirmed as the seat drivers and Daniel Ricciardo was selected as the reserve driver of the team for the 2011 season’s races.
Toro Rosso launched its new ‘STR6’ car on February 1, 2011 in Spain and they started their pre-season test session with their new machine.
At the start of testing, the team progress was not much good, as its car experienced several technical issues. However, they made improvements in their run, as the season was going to start.
Toro Rosso took part in the first three races of 2011 season, held in Australia, Malaysia and China. Both drivers managed to take 4 points for their team out of those three races.
With regards to Australia race, Buemi was eighth fastest runner of the race and got four points for his team. However, Alguersuari was slow during his run and as a result, he could manage an 11th place without any encouraging points.
The team participated in the Malaysian Grand Prix, where they successfully finished their qualifying round and practice session. Due to some issue in their new cars, the drivers failed to put their best run against the strong runners of the race. Both drivers
Buemi and Alguersuari, however, put Toro Rosso 13th and 14th, respectively.
The 21-year-old driver said, “We have another driver in the team who is fast and very talented. No one in the team wants me or Sébastien to go slower or Daniel to go faster, and that's why I don't really mind the situation.”
He went on to add, “What is important is that we have another viewpoint in the garage. Daniel is very important for the team because he has been working with a winning team - Red Bull Racing - last year; he knows how their teams work and how our team works
and he can compare the garages, the setup and the car, which means we get good data.”
In the Chinese Grand Prix, Toro Rosso took part with high expectations, but again they could not finish their best run among the strong competitors.
Buemi completed his laps under the ‘107 percent’ new rule and finished in the 14th place for the team. His teammate Alguersuari was unable to score a single point for his team, since he retired from the race.
The team is ready for the season’s fourth race, taking place on May 8, 2011, in Turkey.
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