Gene Aims to Impress Williams Bosses

Williams-BMW stand-in Marc Gene said on Thursday that he will bid to score points in this weekend's French Grand Prix in an effort to convince team bosses to hand him a race drive in 2005.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya is leaving for McLaren-Mercedes at the end of the season and German Ralf Schumacher is expected to join Toyota so Gene is hopeful of using his chance to make a strong bid for a race seat.

Gene, in for the injured Schumacher, currently has one race to perform as he has not been given any assurances that he will replace the German driver for the remaining races for which he is expected to be sidelined.

But the Spanish test driver, who also stepped in for an injured Schumacher at last year's Italian Grand Prix and finished fifth, is confident he will have more than one chance.

"The fact that they've picked me means I am high up the list," said Gene. "It's not my last chance at a race drive, it's just one more chance to prove something and I will concentrate just on this race.

"I would be surprised if they judge me this weekend. I don't think it would be right to judge people on one race. I'm one of the possibilities and the fact that I'm racing this weekend shows that.

"If I had eight races then I would be more relaxed. It would be easier but that's why I'm going to try not to think beyond Magny-Cours because that would put me under pressure and I don't want that."

Australian Jaguar driver Mark Webber is high on Williams' list for 2005 and Jacques Villeneuve, who won the world title with Williams in 1997, is also being linked with a return to the team.

Gene believes his knowledge of the Williams car, having tested for the team for the past three-and-a-half years, was the reason behind his choice as Schumacher's deputy ahead of fellow team test-driver Antonio Pizzonia of Brazil.

Gene has promised to reward Williams with points this weekend and said: "The people making decisions at Williams haven't told me what they expect. But people have told me they chose me because I am a more reliable points-scoring driver.

"We need points. We are many points behind Renault and BAR. Catching Ferrari is almost impossible but we need second in the championship so we need points as soon as possible."