Anthony Davidson

Williams needs to fill the vacancy created after Jenson Button was denied the opportunity to drive for the team by the Contracts Recognition Board last month. Now it is giving Davidson, Jordan driver Nick Heidfeld and current test driver Antonio Pizzonia the chance to fight for a place in the Williams team alongside Mark Webber in 2005.

It's Davidson's only realistic chance of a race seat next year, and when you think about it, they don't come much better than this. If he gets it, ironically he will be driving the car his current BAR team leader Button covets, and could well find himself fighting for podiums with his old karting sparring partner. Autosport's Anthony Rowlinson caught up with Davidson to find out about his big chance.

Yeah it was good. We managed to get a fairly decent seat made. We actually used one of Ralf's old moulds and poured in a lot more foam around it. The seat has to work harder for a smaller guy like me, otherwise I end up rattling around the cockpit.

Well it was kind of strange walking around somewhere you've regarded as one of your main rivals all season. Mark [Webber} has already been here a lot, I know, getting to know people.

I'm just looking forward to my test now. I met most of the engineers and data engineers today. I saw [Williams technical director] Sam Michael as well, obviously. He wanted to know how the seat fitting was going. Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly at the moment.

Since the week after Brazil. I have to say a massive thank you to [BAR team principal] David Richards and all the guys at BAR for allowing me to leave for the test. He always said they would never stand in my way if a race driving opportunity came up, and they've been as a good as their word.

I'd only leave the team for a race drive anyway. They've been loyal to me and I feel a debt of loyalty to them, so if I was offered a test drive for another team I wouldn't think about leaving BAR. I would hope that they know it's not even a consideration for me.

Having said that the race drive is the thing I'm so hungry for and that's what I've been working all year for, so it's tremendously exciting to have an opportunity to show what I can do.



AD: There were no real surprises getting in the Williams, although obviously I haven't driven it yet! You can see Williams has a little bit more money to spend than BAR and that is a more established operation, but the differences are small. There are no real differences in the facilities as far as the factory and the design offices are concerned. There's actually quite a similar feeling between the two teams. A lot of Williams personnel have gone across to BAR; Jacques Villeneuve, Geoff Willis and Mark Ellis have all crossed over and senior guys like that take a lot of work practices across with them from one team to the other. I felt very comfortable there.

From a driver's point of view the steering wheel is the main thing you notice. You have to familiarise yourself with the controls and functions so that they become second nature when you're out there. That takes a bit of time for anybody.

It's a shame I haven't been in the car recently. When I get to Jerez on December 1, I won't have driven a car since Brazil and it'll take me a couple of laps to get my head completely settled. It already feels like a year since I drove last.

It's not only about lap times. I want to be fast and competitive, but you can impress a team without setting a killer time, which might be difficult with only two days to learn the car. At least I know the Michelin tyres and how they will behave.

When Jenson first drove for BAR he didn't just get in and blitz a lap time, but the team could see from what he was doing that the speed was there. Obviously speed is massively important - but it's not the only thing. It's too hard to judge somebody just on the basis of a couple of days' testing.

It's hard to tell you how much I want this and it's a fantastic opportunity because there aren't really many people going for the drive. Just to have a chance is amazing and it's really got me buzzing. I wish I could just go out there now and drive the car.

It'll be funny for Mark (Webber) when he gets in, because the Williams will be a much quicker car than he's used to. But it'll be fascinating for me because the BAR and Williams are so close in performance. It'll be really interesting to assess the two cars.

I won't be able to give too much away to Williams because I'm still under contract to BAR, and they won't be able to give too much away to me for the same reason. But I'm a professional racing driver and they're a massively professional team, so I'm sure we'll both be sensible and get on with it. I'll be going back to the factory next week to make a few more modifications to the seat. I just hope it's comfortable on the day. I don't want to be rattling around like a pea.

I didn't meet him today, but we've met before and spoken a few times over the past few months, particularly since the Jenson saga started.

I haven't even thought about the possibility yet. I just want to do the test and make the absolute best I can of that - get in the car and drive it as fast as I can. But I suppose it would be funny if I end up there and Jenson stays at BAR. I wonder how long it would be before he comes around to kill me?"