At the end of last season Toro Rosso shocked everybody by axing both Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, a strange decision considering the improvement they’d both shown during the 2011 season.
Toro Rosso’s excuse was that the team was a starter team, they weren’t there to play host to world champions, they were there to help drivers get recognised and then go on to better teams. Sebastien Buemi seems to have got lucky, being instantly snapped up by Red Bull Racing as their third driver, with quite obviously the intention of replacing Mark Webber.
Jaime Alguersuari has not been so lucky, he’s floating around in the realms of the unknown with other drivers who have found themselves fighting over just two race seats.
Alguersuari appears to be a little choosy though and one has to question how much he actually wants a drive. When asked by a spanish newspaper if he would drive for HRT he said it would be a step backwards in his career. I chuckled at that and agreed with him momentarily, ‘but at least it would be a drive‘ I thought.
There’s no doubt that driving for HRT would be difficult and frustrating so you can see why he wouldn’t want to drive for them. But that would be cowardly, F1 drivers love a fight and a battle, driving for HRT would certainly be both. I want to believe though that this year they may start to improve otherwise they may as well just call it a day and walk away from the sport. At least he would have a drive though, once you’re out of Formula 1 it’s tough to get back in.
Spanish newspaper, AS, report Alguersuari as saying that he is looking into becoming a third driver for a team like McLaren. McLaren already have a third driver, they don’t need another. Yeah being a third driver is the next best thing to racing, you can’t be a third driver for a team who already has one. I’d even take a third driver team at HRT if it was the only thing available.
Another point I considered was that, big teams may be looking for a driver who just wants and needs to drive. While they want a fantastic driver who can lead a team to success, experience is important. Formula 1 isn’t easy by any measure and a driver needs to be able to cope and deal with tough seasons and should be be able to show he is willing to do anything to get a drive and stay in Formula 1.
Yes, it’s hard to take HRT seriously and no one would consider them a dream drive right now, but who knows what they might become? If Alguersuari could gain points driving a HRT, he’d look even better. Maybe he shouldn’t view it as a step backwards but an opportunity to show what he can do.
If I were a team boss, which I’m not nor am I ever likely to be, I would want a driver who was willing to do anything to get a drive. As much talent as I think Alguersuari has, stating he wouldn’t drive for a team because it would be a step backwards would be a killer for me. I wouldn’t hire him.
Think about Jenson Button, not too much ladies, he’s had tough seasons during his career but look where he is now. Formula 1 is not a walk in the park.
There are only two race seats Mr Alguersuari, you can’t afford to be picky. Don’t forget the saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. That being said, Alguersuari also has a music career alongside his Formula 1 under the name DJ Squire, so if he didn’t get a drive he’d have something to do at least.
What do you think? Is Alguersuari being daft or is it a wise move? What would you do in his position?
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