Briscoe May Have to Wait Until 2002 for Toyota Test

Australian youngster Ryan Briscoe may have to wait until early next year for his promised Formula One test with Toyota, the Japanese team have said.

"No date has been fixed. It's not really a priority," a spokesman said at the end of a three-day test session at the Suzuka circuit. "It will not necessarily be this year."

Team boss Ove Andersson told Australian reporters on Tuesday that 20-year-old Briscoe, one of the team's junior drivers, would get a Formula One test in the next few months. Toyota, who make their Formula One debut in Australia in March, can only test until November 15 before they are also subject to a ban imposed on the other 11 teams from the end of the season to the New Year.

The Germany-based team plan to return to their Paul Ricard test track at Le Castellet in the south of France to continue work until the deadline and Briscoe could get a test there in the next few weeks. If not, it is likely to be in January.

Toyota have yet to name an official test driver for next season and Briscoe would clearly be in the frame, having won the Italian Formula Renault title this season. However, spokesman Andrea Ficarelli told Reuters the test would be a one-off outing and was not linked to a testing contract.

Toyota's testing duties have been carried out this season by Scotland's Allan McNish and Finland's Mika Salo, the two race drivers for 2002. McNish brought the Suzuka test to a close on Wednesday, running all day before some mechanical problems towards the end of the day.