The Red Bull drivers may not be allowed to race each other, but that’s clearly not the case at Toro Rosso.
The balance of power between Toro Rosso’s drivers has shifted in recent races and at Silverstone it created a riveting battle between the pair on the track.
| Sebastien Buemi | Jaime Alguersuari | |
| Qualifying position | 19 | 18 |
| Qualifying time comparison (Q1) | 1’35.698 (+0.453) | 1’35.245 |
| Race position | 10 | |
| Laps | 25/52 | 52/52 |
| Pit stops | 2 | 2 |
Toro Rosso drivers’ lap times throughout the race (in seconds):
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | |
| Sebastien Buemi | 128.553 | 116.304 | 115.5 | 115.077 | 114.924 | 114.652 | 114.035 | 114.668 | 113.963 | 113.539 | 108.957 | 132.323 | 108.098 | 105.061 | 103.89 | 102.835 | 102.018 | 102.076 | 102.409 | 101.82 | 100.546 | 100.602 | 100.425 | 100.224 | 97.345 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jaime Alguersuari | 127.697 | 116.303 | 115.254 | 115.423 | 116.185 | 114.772 | 113.768 | 112.91 | 114.176 | 113.692 | 111.275 | 108.377 | 126.545 | 105.43 | 103.428 | 102.976 | 102.783 | 102.755 | 101.891 | 100.932 | 100.198 | 100.421 | 99.934 | 99.6 | 99.888 | 100.88 | 101.059 | 100.77 | 99.989 | 99.421 | 96.197 | 116.651 | 98.607 | 97.422 | 98.132 | 97.424 | 97.249 | 97.16 | 97.426 | 97.657 | 97.247 | 97.232 | 97.641 | 97.562 | 97.338 | 97.852 | 97.867 | 97.977 | 98.227 | 98.923 | 99.213 | 100.568 |
Sebastien Buemi
Both Toro Rosso drivers missed the chance to set a time on soft tyres before the rain fell in Q1. Buemi started a season-worst 19th on the grid.
He made up ground at the start and passed his team mate on lap five. Buemi then dived past Vitaly Petrov on the inside at Brooklands.
Alguersuari followed him by at Copse, and a few laps later took the place back from his team mate.
Buemi continued chasing Alguersuari after they had stopped for slick tyres. But on lap 25 a delayed Paul di Resta came out of the pits behind Buemi and tried to pass him.
The Force India’s front wing tore Buemi’s left-rear tyre at Brooklands, and the resulting damage ended Buemi’s race.
Afterwards he said: “I would like to see the footage with Di Resta again to see exactly what happened, but from the cockpit, I was on the dry line, he tried to come up the inside of me where the track surface was still very wet.
“So he could not brake as hard as if he had been on the dry and I felt an impact. He had touched my left rear tyre which shredded it. But that’s racing, so it’s best to forget it and start thinking about the next race at the Nurburgring.”
Sebastien Buemi 2011 form guide
Jaime Alguersuari
After his early battle with Buemi, Alguersuari picked off Kamui Kobayashi around the outside at Luffield and went off in pursuit of Nick Heidfeld.
He wasn’t able to pass the Renault, and on lap 33 he was caught by Michael Schumacher. The Mercedes driver launched up the inside of him at Stowe to claim ninth place.
That left Alguersuari tenth, giving him his third consecutive points finish.
“I was definitely faster than Heidfeld and Schumacher, around most of the lap, as was the case in Valencia,” he said.
“But we could not make the most of this as I then lost out to them going down the straight. I’m not sure why that was the case, maybe we ran with a bit more downforce than them.”
Jaime Alguersuari 2011 form guide
2011 British Grand Prix
Image © Red Bull/Getty images
BasCB (@bascb)
11th July 2011, 11:30
Interesting how just like last year Alguersuari had a weaker start of the year but got stronger as the season progresses.
But none of these two can be deemed a successor to either Vettel or Webber at Red bull.
Todfod (@todfod)
11th July 2011, 11:42
For sure. None of them has emerged as a clear victor in their own team battle. So that could mean that they are both really strong drivers or both really mediocre. I believe that it is the latter..
Fixy (@)
11th July 2011, 11:59
So Buemi and Alguersuari will swap seats with Vettel and Webber!
Eggry (@eggry)
11th July 2011, 12:02
Brilliant Idea!
dyslexicbunny (@dyslexicbunny)
11th July 2011, 16:07
It would be good fun to watch all four cars race each other.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
11th July 2011, 22:34
Yea, they’re not exactly screaming to be thrown in Webber’s seat at the moment.
AdrianMorse
11th July 2011, 11:47
I think the problem for Buemi and Algersuari is that the Red Bull is currently too good for them. Both BUE and ALG are doing a solid job this year, I think, fighting and occasionally scoring points.
However, to put them in a championship-winning car would be a little bit flattering of their performances. If RBR were at the level of Mercedes, for example, then promotion would have been a much more realistic prospect.
US_Peter
12th July 2011, 3:56
Hadn’t thought of it in those terms, but you’re right. It would be a much bigger risk to put a driver from that far back the grid in the RB7 than the W02.
Eggry (@eggry)
11th July 2011, 12:00
Buemi has balance both in quali and race. ALG did good job in recent racec but he’s getting used starting from 18th. I can see why Helmut Marko put Ricciardo not in STR but HRT. Surely he need more time to judge.
Marco
11th July 2011, 12:23
Too early to say about Alguersuari that he is mediocre… He needed only one thing – sorting out the tyre problems… He achieved that and he is back where he was at the end of last year – ahead of Buemi… And btw. his first race in F1 even without experience was much better then Ricciardos who is hailed and praised for nothing… Formula One is not Formula Renault…
Todfod (@todfod)
11th July 2011, 12:30
You cant judge the potential of a driver in one race in an HRT. To be fair.. Alguersuari didn’t have to drive that garbage can on wheels called HRT.
Marco
11th July 2011, 12:39
And also to be fair, Alguersuari finished in his debut Formula One race WITHOUT ANY TESTING EXPIERIENCE ahead of his teammate Buemi and definitely not one lap down…
Todfod (@todfod)
11th July 2011, 12:57
As I said.. ONE RACE is a little too quick to judge either ways.
Mike
12th July 2011, 3:26
Buemi had a bad race though didn’t he, leading Jaime until he spun at turn 2 near the end of the race? And Buemi wasn’t exactly an experienced racer either.
I don’t think the situations are comparable.
Marco
12th July 2011, 11:39
Yes, Buemi had a spin, but it was not Alguersuari s fault, or? :) Pacewise he was some 2 tenths behind in that race, while Ricciardo was really off the pace in Silverstone…
TommyB (@tommyb89)
11th July 2011, 14:39
I was sat at Luffield and the Toro Rosso battle was one of the greatest to watch.
Buemi took the inside line while Alguersuari took a much wider one. This meant the two were pretty much side by side for the first 15 laps. Buemi would be leading, then Alguersuari, then Buemi.
Red Bull may have not let their drivers race but Toro Rosso certainly did.
Marco
11th July 2011, 15:00
Buemi later dropped 5 seconds behind…
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
11th July 2011, 22:37
Well done Alguersuari, he seems to cope well under pressure! It must take a kick up his backside to get him out and actually doing a decent job.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
12th July 2011, 3:17
Something for their elder team to learn from them as people go to the race to see wheel to wheel racing not team orders!
smifaye (@)
12th July 2011, 8:29
Watching from Vale was great to see the Toro Rosso’s battling hard against each other. We also saw Schumachers move on Alguersuari which was a great move on the inside into Stowe.
It’s good to see Toro Rosso getting points most weeks now, I’m glad they aren’t at the back of the midfield now.
Also their cars look fricking awesome close up!