AUGUST 20, 2001

BAR to have two test teams in 2002

BRITISH AMERICAN RACING says it will have two full-time test teams next year but that it intends to cut back on its four test drivers.

The team currently employs Patrick Lemarie, Takuma Sato, Anthony Davidson and Darren Manning in addition to regular race drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis. Team boss Craig Pollock refuses to say who will be dropped but Sato is expected to be retained as it is expected that he will graduate to the race team in 2003. Lemarie has a very low profile but his long-term development work is much appreciated by the team and he is expected to be retained to maintain stability in the research and development program.

Thus it is safe to assume that either Davidson or Manning will get the bullet.