Renault confirms Villeneuve test

Villeneuve, the last man to win a world championship for Renault in 1997, had a seat-fitting at the team's Enstone base on Tuesday evening. But the decision to replace Jarno Trulli with the Canadian for the final three races of the season will not be made until after the test.

Renault F1's managing director Flavio Briatore said: "We have reached an agreement for Jacques to test for the team at Silverstone on Wednesday and Thursday. This test might lead to Jacques joining the team for the final three races of the season beginning next week at the Chinese Grand Prix."

The French manufacturer has been locked in negotiations about its plans for the final three grands prix in the wake of Trulli's disappointing recent form. He has failed to score a point since the French Grand Prix in July and the team is desperate to regain its second place in the constructors' championship, which it lost to BAR in Italy last weekend.

Although Renault is understood to have made a last ditch bid to lure Giancarlo Fisichella away from Sauber before the end of the season, those plans were scuppered by team boss Peter Sauber's determination not to let the Italian go.

A spokesman for Sauber said: "Giancarlo Fisichella will be driving the remaining races of the season for Sauber-Petronas."

Although Trulli's departure from Renault now seems a foregone conclusion, it does not necessarily mean that he has competed in his last race of the season. It is believed that the Italian has been at Toyota's Cologne factory this week to discuss the future and he could be drafted in alongside Olivier Panis immediately.