(Daniel Baricevic is freelance writer, motorsport lover and BPL Citizen Journalist)

Red Bull Racing's ruthless search for the next Sebastian Vettel took a major turn last week, with an all new driver line up announced for its sister team Toro Rosso for the 2012 Formula One season.

The 2011 pairing of Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastian Buemi will make way for fellow Red Bull Junior Team drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Perth-born Ricciardo spent the first half of the 2011 season as Toro Rosso's third driver, before racing the rest of the year on-loan with Spanish backmarkers HRT.

Frenchmen Vergne, who won the British Formula 3 title in 2010 and competed against Ricciardo in the Renault World Series this season, finishing runner-up, will also be aiming to impress. Vergne took over from Ricciardo as Toro Rosso third driver when the Australian left for HRT.

Although Red Bull's decision to sack both Alguersuari and Buemi surprised many and even angered some, it's no secret that team principle Franz Tost and racing advisor Dr. Helmut Marko were losing patience with both drivers, who were unable to emulate current two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel's performances at Toro Rosso, in which he won a rain-soaked Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 2008.

In a statement, Tost thanked Buemi and Alguersuari for their time at Toro Rosso, but made it evident that it was time for change.

"I must thank Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari for all their hard work over the past three seasons...however, one has to remember that when Scuderia Toro Rosso was established in 2005, it was done so with the intention of providing a first step into Formula One for the youngsters in the Red Bull Junior Driver programme."

"It is therefore part of the team's culture to change its driver line up from time to time in order to achieve this goal."

Alguersuari, although shocked by the decision, told ITV that he was grateful for the Red Bull's support for the majority of his racing career.

"I will not judge the reasons of the decision, because Red Bull gave me everything since I was 15 years old, I've been formed with them, and I've become a complete Formula One driver at the age of 21."

"I am not a victim because for seven years I have enjoyed the privilege of being in the best team in the world and with the best means, they brought me here, with them I won the British Formula 3 International Series at 18 years old and with them I have achieved the best results of a 21-year-old F1 driver in 2011."

However Ricciardo, who this year became the 17^th Australian to compete in Formula One, was overjoyed at the being given the opportunity to drive for the Austrian outfit.

"I have to say that joining Scuderia Toro Rosso was always my real goal, so a big thank you to Red Bull for giving me this fantastic opportunity."

"To be honest, I am still jumping up and down with the excitement at the news...in the second half on 2011 (with HRT) I learnt a lot with the people I worked with, racing in 11 Grand Prix's and I want to thank them for the opportunity they gave me."

Ricciardo's first race for Toro Rosso will be in his home country, with Albert Park playing host to the 2012 season opener between the 16^th and 18^th of March.