Oct.19 (GMM) Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost has admitted four drivers are in the running to fill the team's two race seats in 2012.

It was already known that the second Red Bull team's current drivers, Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, could lose their seats at the end of the season.

Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne kicked off his new Friday driving duties in Korea last weekend, and another Red Bull-backed hopeful is the Australian rookie Daniel Ricciardo, who currently drives for HRT.

"Jean-Eric is one of four drivers - with Buemi, Alguersuari and Ricciardo - that Red Bull is thinking about placing with Toro Rosso next year," team principal Tost told the French daily L'Equipe.

"We will take our decision in December. It's really open and Jean-Eric is a possibility for 2012," the Austrian added.

Vergne, runner-up in this year's Renault World Series, said in Korea that he expects to have a job at Toro Rosso next season.

"I like his driving style," confirmed Tost. "He has already demonstrated in the World Series his mastery of the car and his aggressiveness."

Tost revealed that another Frenchman is also in talks with Toro Rosso.

"We are negotiating with Charles Pic," said Tost, referring to the 21-year-old GP2 driver.

"There is a possibility that Charles will run a test with us during the days reserved for young drivers in Abu Dhabi."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version