23 Jan 2010

Alguersuari retained by Toro Rosso

4:29 pm on 23 January 2010

The Toro Rosso formula one team has confirmed they've retained the same driver line-up as last season after announcing that Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari will race for them in 2010.

The move had long been expected, but Toro Rosso had until now refused to confirm the 19-year-old's place alongside Swiss Sebastien Buemi.

Alguersuari was drafted in midway through last year after the team sacked Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais.

He became the youngest driver ever to race in F1 but failed to score points.

Alguersuari finished only three of his eight races, but team boss Franz Tost says he deserves a second chance.

The New Zealander Brendan Hartley was considered an outside chance to drive, having also come through the same Red Bull driver development programme.

Toro Rosso, who are owned by Red Bull, are used as a proving ground for the company's most promising talent.