Fukuda to sample BAR next month.
Newly signed British American Racing test driver Ryo Fukuda is scheduled to make his debut with the team in one of January's Spanish sessions.
The Japanese driver, who triumphed in the French Formula Three series this year, was announced as BAR's latest recruit during its official 2002 launch last week, but will have to wait his turn before getting any serious mileage under his belt. BAR currently has four test drivers on its roster, with Anthony Davidson, Darren Manning and Patrick Lemarie all clamouring for track time.
Newly signed British American Racing test driver Ryo Fukuda is scheduled to make his debut with the team in one of January's Spanish sessions.
The Japanese driver, who triumphed in the French Formula Three series this year, was announced as BAR's latest recruit during its official 2002 launch last week, but will have to wait his turn before getting any serious mileage under his belt. BAR currently has four test drivers on its roster, with Anthony Davidson, Darren Manning and Patrick Lemarie all clamouring for track time.
Fukuda, who will accompany the team to its first track test of the new season in Barcelona, is expected to drive one of last year's cars in Valencia in order to get accustomed to Formula One.
It isn thought unlikely that he will get the chance to replace race regular Jacques Villeneuve alongside Olivier Panis, should the Canadian quit the team, as has been rumoured. Villeneuve is being touted for a swap deal with Jenson Button at Renault.
