Alguersuari eyes 2010 STR race seat

The 19-year-old Spaniard became the youngest ever British Formula 3 champion last year and is racing in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship this season. Although his reserve driver role will not include any test outings during the season, Alguersuari hopes it is the first step to him following fellow Red Bull Junior Sebastien Buemi into a race drive.

"My main objective [for 2010] is to be a race driver at Toro Rosso," Alguersuari told AUTOSPORT. "It's going to be tough and there is not much testing to do. But once you get to F1, everything changes - we have seen that with guys like Sebastien Buemi and Sebastian Vettel."

Alguersuari believes drivers benefit from getting into Formula 1 as young as possible, and is hopeful that he can earn an opportunity with Red Bull.

"My main goal is to get to learn in F1; to develop as a driver there, because it's the best place. You have seen drivers start in F1 very young, they learn there and get better. Like Fernando Alonso, he started at Minardi at, what, 21? He learned there, he moved to Renault where he was still learning and he won championships there. Now you can look at guys like Vettel who are doing the same.

"I think it is the philosophy of Red Bull to give young drivers a chance to do that. You see what Buemi has done, and what Vettel has been able to do, and it gives you a lot of confidence and motivation that you could do the same. You just have to trust in Red Bull and try to show them that you deserve a chance, and earn it.

"To be the reserve driver for Red Bull and Toro Rosso is very positive and for me it's just the first part of it."