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LONDON, England - Just-ousted Jaime Alguersuari has admitted his surprise at Red Bull's decision to oust him from the Toro Rosso team.
In recent days the 21-year-old Spaniard had sounded confident about keeping his seat so the news was "very surprising and unexpected".
'THREE THINGS...'
"Just a week ago I talked with Helmut Marko and Franz Tost and they told me they had plans for me in 2012," he revealed. "They did so with enthusiasm and showed a lot of confidence in me.
"So, after talking with them (now), I thought of three things: first, I will not judge the situation because it seems crazy that after debuting at 19 without ever doing a lap in F1 before, today's news seems to be a major misunderstanding in the best moment of my sporting life. I will not judge the decision because since I was 15 Red Bull has given me everything.
"Second, I am not a victim because for seven years I have enjoyed the privilege because of them. Third, there is no drama, because I have many plans for the present and the future.
"The surprise lasted for a couple of hours but I have talked to my family and realised that life is full of opportunities and challenges."
Already there is speculation that Alguersuari could switch places with Daniel Ricciardo at HRT, where in 2011 Red Bull had a driver deal in place with the Spanish team. Such a move would also give HRT an all-Spanish line-up - the other driver being Pedro de la Rosa.
Alguersuari's Swiss team mate in 2011, Sebastien Buemi, has a much more uncertain future. The 23-year-old had yet to comment but close media confidant Roger Benoit said Buemi "has no plan B".
"Without millions of dollars in sponsors there is not even a back-of-the-grid team with a vacancy for him," he said.
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport speculated that Red Bull might appoint either Alguersuari or Buemi as the championship-winning team's 2012 reserve driver.
The report said the duo might struggle to find a seat elsewhere in F1 "because of the Red Bull stamp on their foreheads".
In recent days the 21-year-old Spaniard had sounded confident about keeping his seat so the news was "very surprising and unexpected".
'THREE THINGS...'
"Just a week ago I talked with Helmut Marko and Franz Tost and they told me they had plans for me in 2012," he revealed. "They did so with enthusiasm and showed a lot of confidence in me.
"So, after talking with them (now), I thought of three things: first, I will not judge the situation because it seems crazy that after debuting at 19 without ever doing a lap in F1 before, today's news seems to be a major misunderstanding in the best moment of my sporting life. I will not judge the decision because since I was 15 Red Bull has given me everything.
"Second, I am not a victim because for seven years I have enjoyed the privilege because of them. Third, there is no drama, because I have many plans for the present and the future.
"The surprise lasted for a couple of hours but I have talked to my family and realised that life is full of opportunities and challenges."
Already there is speculation that Alguersuari could switch places with Daniel Ricciardo at HRT, where in 2011 Red Bull had a driver deal in place with the Spanish team. Such a move would also give HRT an all-Spanish line-up - the other driver being Pedro de la Rosa.
Alguersuari's Swiss team mate in 2011, Sebastien Buemi, has a much more uncertain future. The 23-year-old had yet to comment but close media confidant Roger Benoit said Buemi "has no plan B".
"Without millions of dollars in sponsors there is not even a back-of-the-grid team with a vacancy for him," he said.
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport speculated that Red Bull might appoint either Alguersuari or Buemi as the championship-winning team's 2012 reserve driver.
The report said the duo might struggle to find a seat elsewhere in F1 "because of the Red Bull stamp on their foreheads".