Hartley to make F1 debut for Toro Rosso at COTA

Brendon Hartley will make his Formula 1 debut at the United States Grand Prix, replacing Pierre Gasly at Toro Rosso.

Despite having originally been named alongside Daniil Kvyat for the race at Circuit of The Americas after Carlos Sainz was released to join Renault, Gasly is going to compete in the Super Formula championship decider in Japan next weekend. So Red Bull has turned to one of its former drivers in the form of Hartley, who was part of its young driver program for much of his junior career before being dropped in 2010.

Since then the New Zealander has gone on to race for Porsche in the World Endurance Championship, winning the title in 2015 and the Le Mans 24 Hours this year. Currently leading the standings again this year ahead of this weekend's race at Fuji, Hartley will now make his F1 debut some eight years after last testing for Toro Rosso.

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"What an amazing feeling!" Hartley said. "This opportunity came as somewhat of a surprise, but I never did give up on my ambition and childhood dream to reach F1. I have grown and learned so much since the days when I was the Red Bull and Toro Rosso reserve driver, and the tough years I went through made me stronger and even more determined.

"I want to say a huge thanks to Red Bull for making this a reality, and to Porsche for allowing me to do this alongside the World Endurance Championship. COTA is a track I really enjoy and one I have raced at recently. I'm trying not to put too many expectations on my F1 debut, but I feel ready for it."

Hartley's last F1 role came as a development driver for Mercedes, but the 27-year-old has also been racing in the States this year and won Petit Le Mans last weekend.

"Scuderia Toro Rosso is very pleased to announce that Brendon Hartley, who has been part of the Red Bull family for a long time in different classes, as well as the test and reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, will now be back racing for us in Austin," Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost added.

"Brendon is coming as the reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and he's also leading the current FIA LMP1 World Endurance Championship, which he won in 2015 as well. We are really happy to have him back in our team. With all the racing experience accumulated over the years, we are convinced that he will do a fantastic job for us."

There is currently no confirmation of Toro Rosso's plans for Kvyat and Gasly beyond this weekend. Hartley – who is expected to race for Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar next year – still has two more WEC rounds following this weekend's race in Fuji, but neither clash with the F1 schedule.