Sebastian Vettel

Promising newcomer

Born: 3/7/87 Nationality: German Team: Toro Rosso First GP: USA 2007 Best result: 4th 2007 position: 15th Previous teams: BMW Sauber

Sebastian Vettel earned a full-time drive at Red Bull's junior team with decent performances as replacement for American Scott Speed in 2007.

The German, who had previously been BMW Sauber's reserve driver, was drafted in after Speed was sacked mid-season.

He put in some decent showings, not least with a fourth place in the difficult wet-dry race in China.

But he blotted his copybook when he crassly took Red Bull's Mark Webber out in the pouring rain in Japan.