Grapevine: Lauda's Son Graduates to F3000

Austrian Mathias Lauda has moved a step closer to following father and former champion Niki into Formula One by securing a drive in this year's Formula 3000 support series.

The Italian Coloni team, which once competed in Formula One, said he had signed to take part in the championship that forms part of the grand prix weekend at European races. The 23-year-old raced in a mainly Spanish-based junior series last year.

"I don't have any great ambition or feel any obligation to reach Formula One and repeat the success my father had," Lauda's youngest son told Italy's ANSA news agency. "But if I do have success and can move up to the top series I'm certainly going to be happy about it and so will my father."

Lauda senior won three World Championships, two with Ferrari and one with McLaren, before retiring in 1985 to run his own airline among other interests. He was also Jaguar Formula One team boss from 2001 to late 2002.

Britain's Damon Hill is the only son of a former champion to have won the Formula One title but there are plenty of others involved in motorsport. Brazilian Nelson Piquet junior, son of the three times champion and namesake, recently tested for Williams with Nico Rosberg, son of Finland's 1982 champion Keke.