Baumgartner to Test for Minardi Next Week

Hungarian driver Zsolt Baumgartner will test a Minardi Formula One car for the first time next Tuesday, having completed his seat fitting at the team's Faenza factory on Thursday.

The 23-year old, who made his Grand Prix debut with the Jordan team at the Hungaroring last year, will partner Gianmaria Bruni at Minardi during the 2004 season.

"This was a tiring but fruitful day," he said yesterday evening, after the seat fitting. "I was happy to become acquainted with all members of the team at last. We began our work early in the morning, and the most important phase was to complete the seat fitting."

"I will try the car out for the first time next week, when I will test in Valencia for three days," he added. "I will have the opportunity to [get acquainted] with the car from Tuesday to Thursday."

Although Baumgartner's management admitted they haven't been able to raise all the funds needed for his Minardi drive yet, they still decided to make the first term of payment to the team yesterday. However, "it can't happen" that some of the money will eventually be missing from the driver's budget, his manager Tamas Frank declared.

"We will get the money, that's for sure," he told Hungarian website A5.hu. "We are insured from three sides, so Zsolt will complete the whole season."

Baumgartner has found himself in a difficult situation after one of his main sponsors, oil company Mol Rt., decided to review its offer from last year, because the young driver has signed for Minardi instead of Jordan, as it has been originally planned. Frank said Mol Rt. has given "impractical" terms in January.

"We refused their offer completely, because even if we have accepted it, we wouldn't have been able to fulfill the conditions," he said. "For example, they were only willing to pay if Zsolt would have appeared on the televison screens in at least 10 percent of the total broadcasting time."

Frank added that not even six-times World Champion Michael would be able to undertake a guarantee like this. However, although Mol Rt.'s unexpected decision has almost put an end to Baumgartner's dream of becoming a full-time Formula One driver, Frank said he would still welcome a new offer from the oil company. "If they still want to back us, they can come forward with a new offer," he concluded.