LONDON - Toro Rosso changed its driver line-up because it should be a school for rookies, and this year's pair no longer fit that description, the Formula One team's boss Franz Tost said on Thursday.

The Red Bull-owned team said farewell on Wednesday to Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari and Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi and welcomed instead Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne (pictured).

"Sebastien has been with us for three seasons and Jaime for two and a half," Tost said. "Both of them worked hard for the team, doing their very best and achieving some good results.

"However, Scuderia Toro Rosso's ethos has always been that of the "rookie training school" and with over two seasons under your belt, you are no longer a rookie."

Tost said that in an ideal world one or the other Toro Rosso driver might have hoped to graduate to Red Bull but, with double world champion Sebastian Vettel dominant and Australian Mark Webber confirmed for another year, there was no vacancy.

Vettel drove for Toro Rosso in 2008 and 2009, winning the Italian Grand Prix for its only victory to date in his first full season.

The team finished eighth overall this year.

"It might be seen as a harsh decision, but Formula One is a tough environment and Toro Rosso has always been very clear about the principles behind its driver choice," said Tost, who added that the decision hadn't been made until Tuesday.

Alguersuari, who made his debut with the Italian-based team in 2009 as the sport's youngest ever race driver at the age of 19 and with next to no experience, said in a separate statement he was very surprised but had no hard feelings.

Reuters

(China Daily 12/17/2011 page15)