OCTOBER 5, 2001

Massa's good showing at Mugello could clinch Sauber drive

FELIPE MASSA's second test with the Sauber should be enough to clinch the rising Brazilian star the second driver with Sauber next season. The team was impressed with his performance at the first test before the United States GP and asked him back to see how he performed under pressure. The team is understood to have set Massa a series of demands in terms of specific lap times to see if he could respond without losing his cool.

Massa is already under option to Sauber and it is now just a question of whether the team decides to take that up. All the indications are that they will.