Zonta gets Newman/Haas test.

Ricardo Zonta has revealed that he will test for reigning CART champions Newman/Haas next week, joining Justin Wilson and Sebastien Bourdais at a three-day Sebring shoot out.

For Zonta, the 2002 Telefonica World Series Champion and ex-BAR driver, it will be his first ever outing in a Champ Car and he'll be chasing a seat alongside countryman Bruno Junqueira for the 2003 season.

"I'm very happy with the chance of be able to test for Newman Haas," revealed Zonta to Crash.net Brazil. "I still don't know what I'm going to do next year, but the CART test should help me decide. I want to find out what the car's like to drive and by the end of this month I should know what I'm going to do."

Although some of the top teams and drivers have left CART, for the IRL, NASCAR and Formula One, Zonta believes the championship will be just as competitive in 2003 as it was this year.

"With CART moving to a one Motor/Chassis Formula in 2003, I think it'll be even more competitive," stated Zonta. "CART has faced a difficult year and I don't think things are going to get worse. Instead, I think the series will be more stabilized and grow further in 2003."

Following his frustrating Formula One years at BAR, where he was partnered by Jacques Villeneuve in a team built around the French-Canadian, Zonta believes his championship-winning season in the Telefonica World Series was vital to restore his shattered confidence.

"This was a very important year, where I showed my potential and that I could recover from any set back," declared the Brazilian, who will face competition for the race seat from CART regular Alex Tagliani as well as the F3000 stars. "Now, I'm a lot more mature and can handle any situation I'm faced with."

The Newman/Haas team won the 2002 CART championship with F1 bound Cristiano da Matta.