Davidsons big chance

Anthony Davidson has his 'big chance' to claim a drivers seat in Formula One when he tests for Jordan on Tuesday.Davidson has been released from his BAR Honda commitments to test at the circuit of Silverstone for Jordan, who are looking for drivers for next season, when they will be renamed Midland.

Jordan's sporting relations manager Johnny Herbert has been impressed by Davidson's contribution at BAR during his five years of testing, as well as his record in junior formula. Jordan gets the chance to see his abilities at first hand tomorrow in a test session which Herbert concedes can give Davidson a headstart
in the race for a full-time drive.

Johhny Herbert "He has potentially got the experience and with the speed he has shown at BAR from that point of view he's a good option for us. It's a good opportunity for him. If he goes to Silverstone and does very well then it's going to be a big plus. I think he's got the support in the team because obviously everyone has seen what he has achieved in the BAR. But it's still down to how we slot in the pieces of the puzzle to make it possibly work.He has got a chance on Tuesday and it is another time for him to say 'right, this is what I can do'. It's a big chance. We know what he can do but this is in a car that is not at the end of the grid he has been at and it will be interesting to see what happens."

Anthony Davidson may have to wait for his graduation to the GP grid to be confirmed though. Jordan are in the midst of major restructuring as they prepare for Midland's Formula One debut and Herbert,recruited in a bid to improve their battered reputation, doesn't expect a decision on drivers to come soon.
Midland are expected to ditch their current policy of recruiting only pay drivers, giving Davidson his chance, but confirmation of that is likely to take time.

"It's all down to how the restructuring works out and how things pan out for next year. As far as our position is at the moment, until we get all the structure correct in the first place with Midland, it's only then you can look at the row of drives you've got available for selection and try to work out who are going to be the right two. It's always very hard to put a date to it but I think it's going to be later rather than sooner. The sooner we can do it the better it is for everyone but I know it's very rarely that simple."

Davidson's rise to prominence has come on the back of his testing duties at BAR, even though the man himself believes his forte is in wheel-to-wheel combat. His drivers success in junior series, including a European Formula Three title, is often overlooked, but not by Herbert.
"He did catch my eye because he was one of them who stood out from the rest. When he got the BAR deal his career resurrected itself, especially last year when he did so well in the Friday practices.That was positive, it was good they kept him on and it is a shame that so far he has not had that final break to get him into racing."