From GMM and releases

The Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula 1 team has confirmed that Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais will again race for the Red Bull-owned team in 2009.

Admitting the news had become perhaps F1's "worst kept secret", the Faenza based team said in a statement that the 29-year-old completes the Toro Rosso line-up alongside Swiss rookie Sébastien Buemi.

"After one year with Toro Rosso, we expect him to profit from the experience he gained last season," team boss Franz Tost commented.

STR had considered replacing Bourdais with Takuma Sato for 2009, leading the French driver to admit that the pre-season period was "very long and difficult".

In a separate statement, Japanese Sato's manager Andrew Gilbert Scott said the 32-year-old had been unable to raise enough sponsorship.

"Taku had showed tremendous speed and commitment during the three tests he did for the team and I believe he proved to be the faster driver, he said.

"Unfortunately however the team made no secret about the fact that they would need the driver to bring a substantial amount of funding to the team to secure the drive. We have all been working very hard and have been able to attract a significant amount of sponsorship to support the team but unfortunately it was obviously not enough to secure the drive."


Photo Credit : Red Bull - Gepa Pictures