Formula One Star to drive SEAT

By Anthony Crawford | November 13th, 2009

The youngest Formula One driver in history, 19 year-old Spaniard Jamie Alguersuari, will drive a SEAT Leon Cupra R, when he ‘s not driving his racing car.

Jamie was just 19 years old, when he drove for the Torro Rosso team in the Hungarian Grand Prix this year.

As well as breaking the record as the youngest ever F1 driver previously held by Mike Thackwell, he also became only the seventh teenager to start a Formula One race.

Despite a mechanical failure, which meant qualifying in last place, he went on to finish in fifteenth place, and ahead of his teammate.

The SEAT Leon Cupra R is a potent three-door hatch, with 194kW driving through the front wheels. It will do 250km/h and 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

It may not be F1 style quick, but Jamie is said to very happy with his new daily drive.

Jess

Be nice if Seat came back here at a reasonable price. They have some hot models nowdays. On this kid I think most people would realise that Seat do pay him to drive this car. Where as for his F1 seat, we all know he pays RedBull a large amount of money to drive their car, kind of ironic. Imagine; I’ve got a job. What do you do? I’m an F1 driver. Great how much does that pay? It doesn’t, my family is so rich they pay them for me to be one. Great job!
Jake02

Goddamn that is a hot car! And in lime too

Vw Aus should bring out Seat again – I really want that car! But otherwise I can’t see them doing that well – their whole range is hatchbacks! Well plus that Altea MPV thing…

Martin

Theres the Exeo too.

Baddass

I’m not too fussed about the SEAT design language: lots of creases and the same style of headlight on all models. That Leon pictured is a five-door, BTW. Also, how do you say SEAT? I’ve always pronounced it ‘say-at’, but i’ve heard ‘see-it’ as well. Which is right?

jansjetta

SAY-IT It’s the onlt way to say it
Martin

My father is Spanish and has always pronounced it like say-at, like you said Baddass.

crouchy

It would fail for the same reason it failed the last time – Brand obscurity. The same thing is happening to Skoda. Such a pity because people are missing out on great cars…

Car Fanatic

They failed last time because they only had three models, two variations in the Cordoba, three in the Ibiza and two in the Toledo. The current range of SEAT’s would not only take sales from competitors outside VAG, but also VAG,s other brands. SEAT is a cracking car, I had a 2003 Leon Cupra R and loved it, I never got to own the current shape but with more HP and a sweeter chassis I would have loved one.

Actually they should bring them here, they won last years WTCC with two turbo diesel models and are set to take it again this year.

christos

Its pronounced seh-aht
Shak

The main Reason VW wont bring them here is they make more exciting than Skoda and that would take all their sales. Skoda is meant to be cheap premium and Seat cheap performance.

Will

Shak, we are only a small but improving market for Skoda. I think you will find Skoda concentrating on the Fabias’ WRC/S2000 internationally over the next few years.

There is rumour that the Australian division will allow development of the RS badge.

Also of interest is the presence of a significant independence faction (from Volkswagen) within the Skoda ranks.