This might be the first time ever at Formula1blog.com that Sebastien Buemi is featured in two non-race related posts in one day. (And the only time he’s even featured in two race-related posts is if he’s crashed. Twice.)
But earlier, we noted the rumor that the Toro Rosso driver might be the one slotted in to replace Mark Webber at “big brother” team Red Bull in 2012. I know, I know, I don’t really believe it either.
Apparently, though, “the other Seb” does, because he has a “blog/diary” up at the Toro Rosso site that paints a rosy (Rosso-y?) picture of not only the Canadian Grand Prix but the coming European race, as well.
Here’s Buemi:
Three days after the last race, I’m still smiling at the thought of my Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
Eighth was a really good result, especially as me and the team have had a lot of problems so far this year, less so with Jaime, but I really had a lot of bad luck and technical difficulties, so to have a good race and pick up four points in Montreal was very important. On top of that, it means we move ahead of Williams in the Constructors’ championship which is fantastic. Now it is up to us to keep this positive momentum going and to try and catch up with Force India.
[snip]
Our race pace was good, but where we suffered was in qualifying, because ending up fifteenth and sixteenth on the grid, behind the Williams was just not good enough. It’s clear that we are much more competitive in the race than in qualifying, where we are not producing the results we want. We need to be starting the races from the top ten or at a maximum in the top twelve. I believe we and by that I mean, the drivers and the team, are not getting the most out of the new tyre on the first flying lap. This means our lap times are not good enough, whereas in the race, with a full fuel load, we are much better at getting the tyres to work properly.
[snip]
In Valencia, as I have already said, the main aim will be to qualify better, trying to get as close as possible to the top ten and then let’s see what happens, because it’s hard to make predictions until Friday practice. Valencia has not yet delivered a very exciting race, but maybe this year it will be different.
Wow. One crazy story in a hometown paper, and the guy is ready to blow the doors off the competition.
OK, maybe he’s a tad bit more circumspect than that, but, still, what to make of this. Has Buemi really turned a corner? Are the Toro Rossos back on pace? Will Jaime Alguersuari follow suit and turn the junion Red Bull team into a Q3 competitor?
It certainly would make qualifying sessions a bit more exciting if, on top of the “usual” eight cars that make Q3 — albeit Canada turned that upside a bit — we had Force India, Renault and Toro Rosso all fighting for those last two spots, with maybe Williams occasionally knocking in the door, too.
Does anyone out there want to defend Buemi? To this point in the season, he’s definitely been on my “worst” list. Does he have a little more to him? Does anyone think we might be surprised by him during the next few grand prix?
