As the 2009 season reaches its halfway point, Red Bull F1 is making a change to its nominated reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. With effect from the German Grand Prix, this role is now being taken on by Jaime Alguersuari, who replaces fellow Red Bull Young Driver, Brendon Hartley. The 19 year old Spaniard, who became the youngest ever British F3 champion last year, is currently competing in the World Series by Renault.
With the ban on in-season testing, Red Bull views the appointment of a third driver as part of its Young Driver training programme, allowing a driver to follow all activities of the F1 teams over a race weekend, attending technical briefings and listening in on the pit to car radio conversations. Having benefited from this experience over the first half of the year, Hartley will now concentrate on his own racing programme in the European F3 series.
