Hartley and Gasly to race for Toro Rosso in 2018

LONDON: New Zealander Brendon Hartley and French driver Pierre Gasly will race for Toro Rosso next season, the Red Bullowned Formula One team said.

Hartley, a Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar winner with Porsche and double world endurance champion, was drafted in to the team last month and will be starting his first full F1 season next year.

So too will Gasly, who made his debut in Malaysia at the beginning of October.

“It’s very satisfying to have converted an opportunity that came as a surprise into a 2018 F1 drive, I couldn’t be happier,” said Hartley, who got his break when Toro Rosso were casting around for a US Grand Prix stand-in.

“I’d like to thank Red Bull and Toro Rosso for believing in me and giving me this second chance – dreams can come true,” added the 28-year-old, who tested with the team as a teenager.

Carlos Sainz had left for Renault and Gasly, the Spaniard’s replacement, had other commitments in Japan where he was competing for the Super Formula title.

That left Toro Rosso needing to find another driver, having already recalled Russian Daniil Kvyat.

Hartley impressed and was confirmed alongside Gasly to the end of the season, with Kvyat leaving.

The team’s driver confirmation leaves only Williams and Sauber with uncertain line-ups.

Williams need to replace retiring Brazilian Felipe Massa while Sauber are expected to bring in at least one Ferrari- backed driver with Monaco’s Formula Two champion Charles Leclerc seemingly sure of a seat. — Reuters