No STR drive for Vettel in Hungary

(GMM) Sebastian Vettel will not replace beleaguered Toro Rosso racer Scott Speed at the upcoming Hungarian grand prix, it has emerged.

BMW's 20-year-old rookie test driver did travel to Mugello to meet with STR chiefs earlier this week, but an agreement to complete the 2007 season for the Faenza based team could not be reached, according to reports in the German press.

Bild newspaper reported that Californian Speed, who is 24, will stay in the car at least for the upcoming rounds in Hungary and Turkey, despite his spectacular falling out with bosses Franz Tost and Gerhard Berger.

Bild said "financial issues" fouled Vettel's move to the Italian team.

A Toro Rosso statement on Thursday, meanwhile, said Speed tested at Mugello with "severe lower back pain". The Hungarian GP near Budapest takes place in eight days.