Jaime Alguersuari insists he is not worrying about his position in Formula One next year and is fully concentrating on securing the best results for Toro Rosso in 2011.
This season has been the most successful of Alguersuari's short F1 career, with 10 points and a career-best qualifying position of sixth at last weekend's Belgium Grand Prix. But despite his recent success, there are still doubts about his position at the team next year with Red Bull protégé Daniel Ricciardo being groomed at HRT and Formula Renault 3.5 driver Jean Eric Vergne lined up to test for the team during Friday practice before the end of the season.
What's more, reports in the Spanish press suggest Toro Rosso is about to be sold to the International Petroleum Investment Company from the United Arab Erimates. But despite the speculation about his and the team's future, Alguersuari insists he will not know his plans for 2012 until it comes to contract renegotiation time at the end of the year.
"For the moment I'm at Toro Rosso for this year and I don't know anything about next year," he said at Spa-Francorchamps. "I don't think about next year because every year we sort contracts at the end of the year and you never know what might happen - in a good or a bad way. We will see how the season finishes, I mean at the end the main objective for is to keep up the job we have been doing all year and to keep the team high up - eighth position, seventh would be crazy, but at least eighth."
Toro Rosso currently has 22 points and is 10 points off Force India in seventh and 17 points ahead of Williams in ninth. Alguersuari believes the improvement on 2010 is a testament to how well he, Sebastien Buemi and the team have gelled.
"We need to be happy with how the season has gone," he said. "We've done our maximum and there is nothing else. I'm still learning a lot in Formula One, Toro Rosso is improving as a team, they are now in their second year of running the team without any help from Red Bull Technology - and this is very important for them.
"I think both of us, Buemi and me, have done a very good job for how we are and we have 22 points. We're ahead of Williams - a bigger team than us with more experience - and I think we're doing a really good job. To finish the season ahead of Force India will be unexpected but we will try it and I will try my best. Every time I step in the car there is something else, a new experience, and hopefully one day with Toro Rosso or the Red Bull family I can be at the front and win some races, and maybe one year become world champion - it would be crazy for everyone. That is the dream."
He also revealed that the Toro Rosso would have an update at next weekend's Italian Grand Prix that he hopes will put it in contention for points.
"I expect we can be in the points in Monza, we have some new parts coming on the car," Alguersuari added. "There are some interesting things coming to the team. I think Monza will be difficult, Force India will be very fast there, but we will see. The new things in Monza can improve the car a little bit more and if we can qualify 12th it will be really good and we can then secure top ten in the race."
As for Alguersuari's long-term plans, he said the goal is clear.
"My intention in the end is that I want to be the best at my job," he said. "And one day I want to the best, in the best car and the best team. But I am looking for it because I'm not here to be 17th, 18th every weekend, I want to win. You feel that you are getting more of a name and more respect, but this is not my only intention; my intention is to become a better driver, to improve myself every day and I am very proud with what Red Bull and I have done with myself.
"I am 21-years-old and I started with Red Bull when I was 15 and they put me in Formula One when I was 19. I didn't know the car but now I am starting to improve, so I'm happy to be here. That is important in life, to feel free and feel happy, but obviously one day in life I want to be on top and I want to win. Hopefully it won't take too long."
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