Button could miss 2009 drive as Toro Rosso stick with Bourdais

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/feb/06/jenson-button-formula-one-toro-rosso-sebastien-bourdais

Jenson Button's prospects of securing a formula one drive for 2009 have narrowed once again after Toro Rosso confirmed that Sébastien Bourdais has been signed for a second season. Button's hopes now depend on his Honda team finding a new owner in the next few weeks as the Toro Rosso vacancy was the last on the starting grid for the 2009 season.

"It has been a very long and difficult winter, but now the waiting is finally over and I am really excited about tackling my second season with Scuderia Toro Rosso," said France's Bourdais, who will partner the Swiss rookie Sébastien Buemi. "Now, I can focus on preparing for the coming season. It promises to be a very interesting one, thanks to all the rule changes."

As a rookie Bourdais partnered Sebastian Vettel at the Ferrari-powered team last year, scoring four points in both Australia and Belgium and finishing 17th overall in the drivers' standings. The German Vettel, who scored 35 points, has now left for the sister team, Red Bull Racing.

"After one year with Toro Rosso, we expect him [Bourdais] to profit from the experience he gained last season," said the team principal, Franz Tost. "He now knows the F1 environment, the race tracks and the team. In addition, the slick tyres, which make a comeback this year, should suit his driving style very well."

Bourdais' reappointment has also ended the Japanese driver Takuma Sato's hopes of making a comeback after he lost his place with the now defunct Super Aguri team last year. The Japanese driver had tested repeatedly for Toro Rosso.

"I am not sure what my future holds, I will be discussing with my manager what our next steps should be," said Sato. "However, I strongly feel that I have unfinished business in F1 and that I still have a lot to give.

"I am determined to stay in top-level motor sport and I will be fully focused on making a return to F1 as long as any opportunity is there."

Sato's manager Andrew Gilbert-Scott suggested money had been the deciding factor in the decision, rather than outright performance. "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 claimed. "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.

"We 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."

Things are not looking good for Button,