Alguersuari unclear on Red Bull’s driver plans

Jaime Alguersuari insists he knows nothing about Red Bull’s driver plans for the 2012 season.

Junior team Toro Rosso has admitted publicly that Daniel Ricciardo is next in line should either Spaniard Alguersuari or Swiss Sebastien Buemi fail to shine.

And the best performer could move on to replace Mark Webber at the senior team next season, even though others including Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have also been linked with the Australian’s current seat.

"The way I have always understood it is that the in-house pilots go to Red Bull," 21-year-old Alguersuari said.

"Nobody has told me anything. I just know this year is important because I have to be ahead of my teammate," he told Marca newspaper.

Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung quoted Red Bull’s driver manager Helmut Marko as answering a question about the 2012 lineup.

"The contract with Vettel has been extended but for everything else there’s no hurry."

By the same newspaper, Hamilton reportedly said he "can imagine going to Red Bull in the future" and insisted being Sebastian Vettel’s teammate would be "no problem".

As for Red Bull’s reluctance to talk openly about its 2012 lineup, the 2008 world champion added: "Obviously Mr (Christian) Horner doesn’t want to unsettle his driver."