Legge spins off

Katherine Legge's test drive with F1 team Minardi ended when she crashed after two laps at Vallelunga in Italy. Minardi officials said the 25-year-old was unhurt and is expected to resume testing with the team on Wednesday.

he young British driver was caught out by the cold conditions on the first run, her car spinning and brushing a concrete wall at the side of the track. The resulting damage was relatively minor, but with light fading and temperatures falling, it was decided to postpone her test until tomorrow.

Katherine Legge "It was great driving a F1 car for the first time, even if I did end up learning about traction control the hard way. The accident was really just down to a lack of experience, but it definitely hasn't dampened my enthusiasm."

Legge won three races in the United States' Toyota Atlantic series this season to earn the chance.

Giovanna Amati was the last woman to compete in F1, in 1992, but she failed to qualify for three races.

Indy Racing League driver Sarah Fisher drove several demonstration laps in a McLaren at Indianapolis in 2002, but that run was a promotional exercise for a joint sponsor and did not constitute a test.