Speed out at Toro Rosso: Where should he go?
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In a Formula One season whose theme may be "dumping all things American," the only driver in the series from the USA, Scott Speed, has been replaced at Toro Rosso by 19-year old Sebastian Vettel, who had been test driving with BMW-Sauber prior to this week. The kid will be making his second career start this weekend in Hungary, after getting a point at the US Grand Prix subbing for Robert Kubica.
I'm not concerned as much whether this was the right move on Toro Rosso's part. It's been coming for a while, and I'm more surprised it didn't come last week when they could have had Vettel test for them.
Speed has a number of things he can do with his racing career from here. Let's go over the options:
Option 1: F1 Test Driver
Pros: Finding a test driver seat would keep Speed in F1 circles and put him in line for a real ride if someone screws up or is injured. Staying in F1 seems to be his priority, and it might get him towards a team that actually scores points!
Cons: The big issue he'd have to face is a lack of money. It usually requires a lot of sponsor money, which he does not have because of his contract with Red Bull. Of course, since his one major sponsor runs two rival teams, that might not be an advantageous link for Speed. Plus a drive would not be guaranteed.
Option 2: Champ Car
Pros: With a decent name recognition, Speed would definitely get a ride, and probably with a winning team (one of the big rides that might open up is Sebastian Bordais, who ironically might be going to Toro Rosso next year). Red Bull sponsors one car in the series (Robert Dornboos' Minardi ride), so a second might not be out of the question. For ChampCar it would be a good deal, bringing in someone with F1 experience who is also American.
Cons: Would he ever get another chance to go back to F1? The gap between the two series is pretty big - consider the only name being waved around in that series for an F1 ride has won three championships and could have a fourth this year.
