Jaime Alguersuari insists he didn't lose any sleep over reports that he was set to lose his Toro Rosso race seat to Daniel Ricciardo.
Red Bull Racing made it clear at the start of the season that they were eager to give junior team driver Ricciardo more driving opportunities this campaign and many assumed one of Alguersuari or team-mate Sebastien Buemi would make way.
However, both the Toro Rosso drivers kept their heads down and focused on getting results. Alguersuari, who was rumoured to be in the biggest danger, impressed and finished eighth in both the Canadian and European Grands Prix. Those two performances probably saved him as Ricciardo was confirmed as a Hispania driver shortly before the British GP.
Alguersuari, though, insists he was always confident he would keep his STR seat.
"If I had done mistakes, crashes, or not been fast in the races or so, then it would have been different, but I knew I had something else," he told Autosport.
"Working on the car set-up, and understanding the tyres this year, I knew from my side it was just a matter of time. It was coming. I am not Rubens [Barrichello] or Fernando Alonso, who have loads of years in F1 and knows everything straight away. I got used to F1 and now it is completely different to last year. It is coming, and it is a matter of time.
"I will be much better at the end of the year and now it is coming better and better and better. That is why I say we have still not shown the best performance, even with some good results in the last few races.
"It is just a matter of confidence and staying calm. I know all the rumours were around the paddock, but I knew I was doing my best. I don't decide my future because I am not the boss from Red Bull, I am not Helmut (Marko), but I was confident it was a matter of time."
