Team co-owner Gerhard Berger has backed Toro Rosso’s Scott Speed amid speculation that the Californian could be replaced later this season.
To the specialist magazine Sport Bild, Austrian Berger addressed rumours that Toro Rosso chiefs were trying to extricate Red Bull junior driver Sebastian Vettel from his contractual ‘loan’ to BMW.
“Scott showed a good achievement in the last race at Barcelona,” Berger is quoted as saying, “so Vettel will definitely not drive for us this season.
“Of course (Vettel) is a talent with a lot of potential, which must be observed for the future.
“But I think formula one racing is too early for him (in 2007).”
Another rumour involving Berger’s Faenza based STR at present surrounds the tests of reigning Champ Car title winner Sebastien Bourdais, who will reportedly find out after the Spa-Francorchamps session in July if he will be given a race drive in 2008.
The French racer tested for a second time last week at Paul Ricard, leading Berger to observe: “I have to say, he did a very, very good job.
“One should not underestimate the difficulty of going from a Champ Car to a F1 car, but Bourdais has adapted very quickly.”
