Sebastien Buemi

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Buemi graduated from karting and spent 2004 and 2005 in German Formula BMW, finishing third and second respectively. He was runner-up in the 2005 FBMW World Final. He moved to the Formula Three Euroseries for 2006, finishing 12th, and finished second in 2007 behind Romain Grosjean. He shared driving duties for A1 Team Switzerland in the 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix season. In GP2, he debuted at Monaco in 2007 for ART Grand Prix, qualified fourth and finished seventh. He joined Arden International for the 2008 GP2 Asia Series, finishing runner-up with a win and four second places. In the main 2008 GP2 season, he scored his first win in the French sprint race from 21st on the grid and ended sixth in the championship. He drove the Red Bull RB3 at an F1 test in Jerez on 18 September 2007, third quickest. Red Bull confirmed him as test and reserve driver for 2008. He drove the medical car at the 2008 Japanese, Chinese, and Brazilian Grands Prix.

In Their Own Story

On 18 September 2007, Buemi drove the Red Bull RB3 at the F1 test session in Jerez. He was third quickest on the day, behind Timo Glock and Vitantonio Liuzzi but ahead of Rubens Barrichello and Nelson Piquet Jr. On 16 January 2008, Red Bull Racing confirmed Buemi as their test and reserve driver for the 2008 season. At the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix, Buemi drove the medical car as usual driver Dr Jacques Tropenat had been suffering from an ear problem; he also drove the medical car at the Chinese and Brazilian Grands Prix. During the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix first free practice, a front suspension wishbone broke on Buemi's Toro Rosso as he braked for Turn 14 at over 300 km/h. The two front wheels flew off; one went over the safety fence and landed in a spectator area, missing a camera man. Neither Buemi nor any spectators were injured. Toro Rosso blamed a failure of a new front right upright. Buemi completed 2010 with eight points to teammate Alguersuari's five, finishing sixteenth in the drivers' championship.

Reader's Guide

Buemi raced for Scuderia Toro Rosso from 2009 to 2011. In 2009, he scored points in Australia (promoted to seventh), China (eighth), Brazil (seventh), and Abu Dhabi, finishing 16th with six points as best rookie. In 2010, he scored eight points to teammate Alguersuari's five, finishing 16th again. In 2011, both Buemi and Alguersuari were dropped after the season, replaced by Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Éric Vergne for 2012. Buemi rejoined Red Bull Racing as test and reserve driver for 2012, continuing through 2013 and 2014. He was again announced as reserve driver for 2019 and participated in the 2020 Young Driver's Test. As of 2023, Buemi was not featured on Red Bull's list of reserve drivers. In the FIA World Endurance Championship, Buemi signed with Toyota for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012, driving a TS030 Hybrid. In 2013, he finished third in the drivers' championship. In 2014, with four wins and seven podiums from eight races, he became World Endurance Drivers' Champion with Anthony Davidson. As of 2024, Buemi has won the FIA WEC four times and the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times, and is the only driver to have remained loyal to the same team and manufacturer since 2012. In Formula E, Buemi raced for e.dams Renault and subsequently Nissan from 2014 to 2022. He won the championship in 2015–16 and is joint second for all-time wins, tied with António Félix da Costa behind only Mitch Evans. In 2022, he signed for Envision Racing.

Did You Know?

• Buemi drove the medical car at the 2008 Japanese, Chinese, and Brazilian Grands Prix.
• He scored his first GP2 win in the French sprint race, starting 21st on the grid on slick tyres on a drying track.
• Buemi is the only FIA World Endurance Championship driver to have remained loyal to the same team and manufacturer since 2012.