Mayhem at Toro Rosso

The Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers, Swiss Sebastien Buemi and French driver Sebastien Bourdais, unveil the new STR-4 for the 2009 Formula One season. Buemi finishes four times in the points, with two seventh and two eighth places, while team-mate Bourdais finishes twice eighth. Toro Rosso is tenth and last in the Constructors’ Championship.

Following the German Grand Prix, Sébastien Bourdais was dropped by the team, with Toro Rosso principal Franz Tost claiming that the partnership had not met his expectations. Bourdais was replaced by Jaime Alguersuari.

Bourdais was advised by his lawyers to file suit for breach of contract by Toro Rosso. The team settled the matter with a $2.1 million payment to Bourdais to avoid litigation. Picture below: Sebastien Buemi at the 2009 German Grand Prix.