To no one’s great surprise Sebastian Vettel has been confirmed as David Coulthard’s replacement at Red Bull Racing from next season.
A long time protégé of the drinks company, he will move across from Scuderia Toro Rosso, where he has quickly established a reputation as a potential superstar.
The seat he leaves open at STR is currently the only one definitely available in 2009, and it remains to be seen whether he is replaced by another Red Bull driver, or by someone – presumably with a budget – selected by Gerhard Berger.
In a team statement Vettel said: “I am very proud to be joining Red Bull Racing and it's always good to have an early decision on what you are doing next year. As a driver your target is always to be with the most competitive team possible and, over the past couple of years, Red Bull Racing has proved it has great potential, so this is a good move for me.
“I have been part of the Red Bull family for a long time and with its Junior Team since 2000. Throughout my career, they have offered me great support and now, to drive for their senior F1 team is a dream come true and I am looking forward to having a great season next year, even if I still have a lot to learn about F1. Apart from Red Bull, I must also say a big thank you to Scuderia Toro Rosso, where I feel very much at home.
“They have been my ‘family’ for over a year and I would like to thank Franz [Tost] and Gerhard for the opportunity they gave me and thank the entire team for all their efforts. Having got this announcement out of the way, I can concentrate on racing for Toro Rosso over the second half of the season. I will try and repay them by doing my very best to get some more good results, to add to those we have achieved so far.”
RBR boss Christian Horner said: “With David Coulthard announcing his retirement as a Formula 1 driver a fortnight ago at the British Grand Prix, after careful consideration, it seemed natural to announce his replacement here at Sebastian's home race in Hockenheim. As he was already part of the Red Bull family, choosing Sebastian as Mark Webber's teammate was not a difficult decision. However, we have always stated that our aim is to have the strongest available driver lineup and Vettel's selection also matches these criteria.
“Having only turned 21 at the last race and with only 17 Grand Prix starts to his name, he is still on a learning curve, but it is clear that he has plenty of ability and speed. We are confident that Red Bull Racing will make the most of these attributes and believe that, in Mark and Sebastian, we have a very competitive driver lineup for 2009.”
