Davidson Eyeing Race Seat in 2003

Briton Anthony Davidson will make his Grand Prix debut with Minardi in Hungary this weekend confident that he could be handed a race seat and become the next subject of the team's yearly search for a star.

Davidson, 23, is not expecting to set the world alight for the back-of-the-grid team after replacing struggling Malaysian Alex Yoong for two races, but he claimed he could be handed the seat in 2003 if he shows he can do the business.

"If I do a good job then it is a possibility and I think there is a 50 percent chance," he said of a 2003 race deal with Minardi. "But this weekend I just want to qualify. The racing doesn't really bother me, but I have not lost that killer instinct as a racer, in fact it might have made me even hungrier - but I will just have to concentrate on getting lapped right."

The young driver, who currently tests for British American Racing, will be wearing borrowed overalls for Sunday's race after his team failed to get a specially-fitted pair made in time.

The sudden move to the team came as a surprise to him - he was told while on holiday in Finland - and he will sit in the car for the first time when he drives it out of the garage in today's (Friday) opening practice session.

It will give him a chance to rekindle a childhood battle by lining up against old foe Jenson Button, now driving for Renault but set to reap the fruits of Davidson's work at BAR next year.

"We drove against each other from when we were eight years old to when we were 18," said Davidson. "To end up on the same grid as him is amazing after racing against him as a kid. I won't be challenging him, but really where I will be starting is the perfect place to be for my first race because not a lot is expected of me.

"With BAR I would be expected to be in the midfield and if I did not it would look bad. Here all I am expected to do is qualify, but I would be happy if I can be within half a second of my teammate."