As expected on Monday morning, Toro Rosso announced that 19-year-old Spanish rookie Jaime Alguersuari will replace Sebastien Bourdais "as from this weekend's Hungarian grand prix". Team boss Franz Tost said the total ban on-season testing will make his debut, to make history as the youngest ever grand prix competitor, even more difficult.

"I do not expect anything from him for at least his first three races, during which he has to get used to the car, the team and to the formula one environment," he said.

Toro Rosso on Thursday morning confirmed the immediate departure from the team of its French race driver Sebastien Bourdais.

"In Sebastien's second year with us, the partnership has not met our expectations and therefore we have decided to replace him as from the next round of the world championship, the Hungarian grand prix," said team boss Franz Tost.

Prior to moving to F1 last year, Bourdais won four successive Champ Car championships in America between 2004 and 2007. In 2002, he won the F3000 title, which is the equivalent of today's GP2.