Albers gets potential test chance with Minardi

Minardi's new boss Paul Stoddart has described Albers' signing as an investment in the future, but implied that in the short term at least, there is no guarantee of 'seat time' for the Dutchman. Albers is free to pursue other drives and is still strongly-tipped to drive for Mercedes in this year's DTM.

"We are trying to 'fast-track' the team's route to increased competitiveness in F1 while also setting down some strong foundations for the future," said Stoddart. "It is clear that young drivers are being snapped up by Grand Prix teams at increasingly early stages in their racing careers and signed to contracts. We know Christijan well from running him in our Formula 3000 team last season and rate him very highly."

Describing what the contract actually means, Stoddart said: "In practical terms he is free to compete in other racing categories this year, but we have first call on his services in F1, should they be required. The logical place for any young Grand Prix aspirant to start is as a test driver, since it provides an ideal opportunity to accumulate track mileage and to get to know the team and how it works."

Albers, whose best result in F3000 last year was a seventh at Magny-Cours, said of the contract: "This is a good step for my racing career. I am aiming to broaden my racing experience this season and am therefore working on drives in a couple of international series. I really hope there will be an opportunity during the year, however, to do some testing for European Minardi F1."

Minardi's F1 race squad for 2001 consists of highly-rated Spaniard Fernando Alonso and former Minardi driver Tarso Marques, who returns for a second stint with the team after a sojourn in Champ Cars