Speed can't take criticism?

By Andrew Cutler
February 25 2007

"...Oh, and by the way, we resigned Scott Speed." That was about as much fanfare as Scuderia Toro Rosso put into making the announcement, which was tacked onto the end of their recap of Saturday's test results from Bahrain. No further comments from Speed, Berger or Tost were supplied.

While it is understandable that resigning a driver who has allready driven for the team might not be as big of an "event" as bringing someone new into the fold would be, surely it AT LEAST merits a separate official statement to the press, no?

Perhaps part of the reason for the low key approach is that Scott, despite being resigned, is still not quite completely in the team's good graces. In a recent interview with autosport.com, STR co-owner Gerhard Berger hinted at what may have caused a strain to develope in the relationship since the end the 2006 season. "After the season we said 'OK, let's first analyse very carefully the season, all the races, all the tests, everything. And then let's see together with the drivers and make a plan, how to improve their weaknesses.

"And obviously this plan you have to do together with the driver, because you need a great commitment from him, first to understand the problems, and then to be able to sort it out. Tonio did very well, he reacted very constructively and worked on himself."

Berger suggested that, for his part, Scott didn't take to being critiqued as well as Tonio did.

Berger also stated that, contrary to some reports that have been floating around as of late, he is not overly upset at Scott and Tonio for alledged excessive partying in their off-track lives. "That's not true. I read it somewhere, but that's not my view. I like the partying. It's part of the game. I appreciate craziness, human things, and we're Red Bull, but it needs to be in balance with the performance."