Buemi confirmed as Red Bull's reserve driver

After his unexpected axe at Toro Rosso, Sebastien Buemi has been announced as Red Bull's reserve and test driver for 2012.

At the end of the 2011 season Toro Rosso announced that they would be dispensing with Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari after a three-year association with the two drivers.

The decision that Toro Rosso came too was probably aided by sister team Red Bull and they decided to go with a new driver line-up naming Australia's Daniel Ricciardo who gained racing experience with HRT in 2011 and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne as Toro Rosso's drivers for 2012.

Both drivers, just as Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari before them, have come through the Red Bull Junior Driver programme.

But with the decision being made so late by Toro Rosso, the two promising drivers had limited opportunities to find another seat in time for 2012.

But Buemi has managed to secure an extended stay in the Red Bull family as the 23-year-old Swiss driver has become their test and reserve driver for the upcoming season.

'It's good to remain with Red Bull for another year and have this opportunity with the World Championship winning team,' he said in a team statement on Thursday.

'I would prefer to be driving at the races of course, but working with Red Bull Racing on the development of their car and providing them with feedback throughout the season is the next best thing.'

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner added: 'It was entirely logical for Sebastien to continue with Red Bull having been a member of the Junior Team since 2004. He already knows the team well from his time with us in 2008 and has gained significant race experience over the past three years.

'He will complete important test and simulation work for us throughout the year and will be in attendance at each grand prix.'

Buemi made his Formula One debut for Toro Rosso in Australia 2009 and has started 55 Grand Prix's.

His best result came in that very first race with a seventh place finish, he managed to achieve the same result in Brazil later in the season, but over the course of 2010 or 2011 he couldn't improve.