Sebastien Vettel will replace American Scott Speed at the Toro Rosso team from the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Italian outfit have confirmed.
Vettel was released from his contract with the BMW Sauber team earlier today, and he will join Toro Rosso for the remainder of the 2007 season.
Speed had said following the European Grand Prix that he would not race again with Toro Rosso following an altercation with team boss Franz Tost.

The BMW Sauber team have released Sebastian Vettel to drive for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the German squad announced on Tuesday.

Twenty year-old Vettel was BMW's third driver and he had been linked with the Toro Rosso seat after comments from American Scott Speed that he would never drive for the Italian squad again following an altercation at the Nurburgring with team boss Franz Tost.

Speed, however, was in action during testing at Mugello last week, and Tost said there were no plans to replace Speed.

But BMW have announced they have released Vettel from his contract to drive for Toro Rosso, although the Italian squad are yet to announce their plans to the Hungarian Grand Prix.

"As our test and reserve driver Sebastian has carried out sterling work for us," said BMW boss Mario Theissen. "When he stood in for Robert Kubica in the USA Grand Prix he made history by becoming the youngest debutant to earn a world championship point.

"However, the current testing rules mean that he barely gets a chance to drive for us. Now he has been offered the opportunity to get inside a Toro Rosso cockpit. We have sponsored and coached Sebastian over a number of years.

"To place obstacles in his career path now would go against our concept of talent promotion."

He added: "BMW and Red Bull have a longstanding partnership in supporting Sebastian. Toro Rosso is the sister team of Red Bull Racing, and in that context it makes sense for us to release him for the testing.

"In a sponsoring partnership the main thing is to use the best opportunities that present themselves to a young driver at any given time."

German Timo Glock, the team's second tester, will take Vettel's role at BMW.

Good for him but
to bad he didn't get a seat in a real competitive car where he could really show his talent.

Still confuses me as to why Speed is being replaced and not Liuzzi . Obviously his falling out with Tost and Berger didn't help, but it still seems detrimental to the team to keep the slower of the two drivers.

Ah well, guess we'll find out whether it's the car or not, right?

Quote from DrDNA :

Still confuses me as to why Speed is being replaced and not Liuzzi . Obviously his falling out with Tost and Berger didn't help, but it still seems detrimental to the team to keep the slower of the two drivers.

Ah well, guess we'll find out whether it's the car or not, right?

I agree. But I think Speed has been a little too public about his feelings with Toro Rosso.

Well, unless they replace Liuzzi, looks like Bourdais' spot is taken

Well the option STR has on Bourdais runs out tomorrow, so we will find out if they want him or not. Of course there are other teams out there that he could go to.

Personally, I'm glad Vettel is getting his deserved race seat but I think that Vettel deserves a better team than STR. Vettel has shown some impressive skill in the BMW. Its hard to say really, I've respected Heidfeld ever since his days in F3000 and Kubica has really impressed me this year. Can there be a 3rd BMW car for the race? .

I dunno but if I were in Vettel's position, I'd prefer being a test driver for quite a good team then when a place opens up in another top team or perhaps one of the BMW drivers choose to leave, then take his chance with that. I know that there is also the idea that since Vettel is very talented that perhaps he could out perform Liuzzi making him look good but Liuzzi knows the STR car much better than Vettel so he would have to get used to it. My opinion is that Vettel should stay with BMW and just be patient to see how things go in future.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

Well the option STR has on Bourdais runs out tomorrow, so we will find out if they want him or not. Of course there are other teams out there that he could go to.

I would really like to know. I already know he's kinda bored with Champcar. If F1 still doesnt take him the only place he can go is either IRL or NASCAR

Well Alonso started out in a Minardi remember, if Vettel does his job and has the right mental attitude to his new role then the top teams will be seriously looking at him.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

Well Alonso started out in a Minardi remember, if Vettel does his job and has the right mental attitude to his new role then the top teams will be seriously looking at him.

He did yep but then Alonso tested for Renault for a couple years AFAIK which then lead him to his drive with them in 03, wasn't it?

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

Well Alonso started out in a Minardi remember,

But he was managed by Briatore at the time, so he was always going to end up in a quick car. Vettel's owned by Red Bull, so maybe they're grooming him for a seat in the #1 team once the Newey effect kicks in.

Yes as the report says BMW and Red Bull have been helping him out, I rekon BMW will still have an option to call him up to their main race team, perhaps for 2009.

Bourdais will be the man to choose for next year I think... CCWS don't have traction control... he should easily get into grips next year when F1 takes off TC.

I never liked Speed or Liuzzi. Speed is too cocky of a driver to even be in an F1 car.