Davidson Ready to Wait for BAR Seat

But he has warned that he may be forced to switch to a rival outfit if he has a firm offer elsewhere.

The Briton is in talks with both BMW and Jordan for next season and, although he has made it clear to his current bosses that his number one priority is to remain BAR for 2006 as teammate to Rubens Barrichello, he knows he cannot hold out indefinitely.

With continued uncertainty about where Jenson Button will race next year, Davidson knows there may come a time where he has to make a decision about joining a rival team before the final situation at BAR is completely clear.

"There might be a crunch time when I will have to decide to go elsewhere, even if a seat could potentially still be open at BAR," Davidson told Autosport-Atlas at a launch for the new Sony PSP console on Wednesday.

"I would go elsewhere if there was a race drive available, and the BAR situation was looking dull for me and not looking like there was an opportunity going to arise.

"If there was a race drive elsewhere on the table then you have to take it because they don't come along very often."

Davidson has made it clear, however, that the number one target is to land a race drive at BAR in the event that Button is forced to drive for Williams.

And he feels that he should be given a chance to prove what he can do for BAR after his loyalty to the outfit. He has tested for them since 2001 and missed out on a chance of going for a Williams drive at the end of last year when the team refused to release an option they had on him for 2006.

"I think I have got the right to show what I can do in a car I know," added Davidson, whose only race for BAR was at Sepang this year when he was drafted in to replace the unwell Takuma Sato.

"I feel Malaysia was a real missed opportunity for me; jumping in so late and the car then breaking down. I feel I could have been in the points that day, so I feel I do deserve a chance in any car to show what I can do

"I discount the Minardi stuff (when he did two races in 2002). I was so inexperienced; I was halfway through my first F1 year and had only done Formula Ford and Formula Three up to that point. Although the times were not too bad, I feel much better now and feel I could do a much better job in all."

Davidson has been left a frustrated spectator at Grands Prix this season, after his brilliant performances as BAR's third driver in 2004.

And he is adamant that he needs to get back to racing next year rather than spend another year as a test driver.

"I've been saying it everywhere - I want to be out there racing and not testing anymore. I've learned all I can testing but I just need to continue to step up the ladder and get on with it in a racing situation.

"I feel that is the only thing missing now. I've got the speed, I've proven that to everyone and I've definitely got the knowledge and feedback to make a car quick.

"At the beginning of the season we didn't have a fast car and I have learned a lot from that. I don't know if it will be at BAR, that is obviously my number one choice, but if not then we are free to race anywhere else.

"We are looking forward to being on the grid next year, although I don't know where it is going to be. We've still got to wait and see where it is with the Jenson thing, and that will control a lot of what happens elsewhere on the grid."

When asked whether he would accept another year of testing if there was no chance to go racing, Davidson said: "That is a tough one, and I haven't even bothered to think about it.

"BAR have said openly that they want my services for next year as a tester regardless of what happens - so that will be a worst case scenario to look at where I test."