15/12/2011
NEWS STORY
Whilst admitting surprise at Toro Rosso's decision to drop him, a refreshingly candid Jaime Alguersuari feels no bitterness towards the team or Red Bull.
"I am very surprised by the decision," said the youngster in a statement, admitting that he first heard of the team's decision earlier in the day when he was contacted by Franz Tost, and then Helmut Marko. "Just a week after winning the Challenge das Estrelas in Florianopolis I talked with Marko and Tost and they told me they had plans for me in 2012."
"They did it with enthusiasm and showed me much confidence," he continued, "they also asked me to be on Monday in Madrid in a wonderful CEPSA event in which they told me to insist on our 2012 project in F1.
"So after talking with them this morning, I thought of three things: First, I will not judge the situation because if I thought it was a crazy thing to make me debut in 2009 with 19 years and three months without having done a kilometre in F1 ever before, today's news seemed to be a major misunderstanding in the best moment of my sporting life, I will not judge the reasons of the decision, because Red Bull gave me everything since I was 15 years old, I've been formed with them, and I've become a complete F1 driver at age 21.
"Second, I am not a victim because for seven years I have enjoyed the privilege of being in the best team in the world and with the best means, they brought me here, with them I won the British F3 International Series at 18 years and with them I have achieved the best results of a 21 years old F1 driver in 2011. At the end of March I wil! l turn 22, with 46 GPs disputed. They have taken a decision that I respect, but I am left with an enviable training at emotional and fitness level.
"Third, there is no drama, because I have many plans for the present and the future. At all levels: professional and sportive. The surprise has lasted a couple of hours. The necessary to talk to my family, watch the street, I was in Madrid, and then realize that life is full of opportunities and challenges. Back in the AVE and reading the headlines I've come to realize that there are almost five million unemployed persons in Spain, and we can only give back to this country the confidence and optimism, thinking about fighting and improving every day. And that's what I'll do starting tomorrow, I promise to all the fans and the people who appreciate me."