Sperafico gets extended Williams run.

The latest in a line of young Brazilians to taste Formula One with the Williams team ran again in France yesterday.

Ricardo Sperafico follows in the footsteps of Bruno Junqueira, Max Wilson and, in the 1980s, Ayrton Senna in running with the Grove-based team, and was called up to replace the former when Junqueira landed himself a ride in the US CART series.

The latest in a line of young Brazilians to taste Formula One with the Williams team ran again in France yesterday.

Ricardo Sperafico follows in the footsteps of Bruno Junqueira, Max Wilson and, in the 1980s, Ayrton Senna in running with the Grove-based team, and was called up to replace the former when Junqueira landed himself a ride in the US CART series.

The Petrobras Jr F3000 regular, and reigning European F3000 champion, has conducted straight-line testing on the FW23 at the tiny Danielson airfield circuit for the past two days, although yesterday's activities were eventually ended by a thunderstorm which swept through the French countryside late in the afternoon.

Sperafico, who added to his FIA F3000 points account with a podium finish at the Nurburgring two weekends ago, will continue to run today [Thursday] as Williams wraps up its preparations for the forthcoming British Grand Prix.

At present, the young Brazilian only fulfils occasional testing duties for the team, which employs Spaniard Marc Gene as its regular third driver. Should the former Minardi man succeed in returning to a full-time F1 drive, however, Sperafico is already in the frame to replace him.

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