Buemi to stay as Red Bull reserve driver

Red Bull is keeping Sebastien Buemi as its reserve driver for the 2019 season, with the driver entering his eighth successive season as the team's back-up driver.

Buemi raced in Formula 1 back in 2009 to 2011 with Toro Rosso and has remained at Red Bull ever since.

The Swiss driver has also had experience in Formula E, winning the championship in 2015-16 with e.dams, and also in the WEC with Toyota in 2014.

Buemi, 30, also achieved an outright win at Le Mans in 2018 with his team-mates at Toyota Gazoo being Fernando Alonso and Kazuki Nakajima.

The 30-year-old will be back-up in case anything happens to Max Verstappen or Pierre Gasly in 2019, but will also continue his participation in Formula E and WEC in 2019.

"If there's anything that aids a team's quest for performance as it enters a new era of competition, it's continuity," Red Bull said in a statement. 

"The ability to draw upon an experienced skill set that can expertly and accurately define a way forward is a key attribute in quickening the rate of development, pace and power.

"And there's no better source of experience and continuity than our test and reserve driver Sebastien Buemi, for whom 2019 will represent a remarkable eighth year as a member of the Red Bull Racing driving roster."