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Super Aguri to test Yamamoto

Japanese Formula Nippon driver Sakon Yamamoto will be tested by Super Aguri for a race drive the week before the French Grand Prix, according to Autosport magazine

Yamamoto tested for Jordan last year and was the team's Friday third driver at last year's Japanese GP, earning him a Formula One superlicence.

The test will take place at Silverstone and will be run to evaluate Yamamoto's F1 potential, as team principal Aguri Suzuki wants to run a second Japanese driver alongside Takuma Sato.

Sato has been partnered since the European GP by Franck Montagny, called up to replace Yuji Ide after he was stripped of his superlicence by the FIA.

Although the team acknowledged Ide had failed to live up to performance expectations, and has praised Montagny's technical input, Suzuki has never hidden his desire to maintain the team's 'all-Japanese' identity.

Montagny only has a race-by-race deal with the team.

Should Yamamoto perform sufficiently well at Silverstone, he could replace Montagny as early as the July 13 French GP. Race promoters are certain to lobby against such a move, however, as Montagny is currently the only French driver in F1.

Super Aguri will also test their updated chassis at Silverstone. The new SA06 car features extensive bodywork modifications.

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