Grapevine: Webber Denies Minardi Deal is Done

Australian Mark Webber has denied reports that he has already signed with the Minardi team despite putting in an impressive performance in testing last week.

Webber, who is contracted to Renault boss Flavio Briatore, must wait to see where Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jos Verstappen decide to drive before he knows if he will be on the grid in 2002. When asked if he had already secured the Minardi seat he said: "Absolutely not. I would swear on my mother.

"I spoke to [Minardi boss] Paul [Stoddart] after the test and he just said 'let's wait and see what happens with Prost and whatever'. He has been really cagey with me on where things go because he knows I am going nowhere."

Webber left the UK on Monday for Misano, Italy, where he will have another test with the team on Wednesday. At his first test for the team in Valencia, Spain, last week he drove two seconds faster than Minardi's contracted driver Alex Yoong.

"That might have put the icing on the cake," said Webber. "I really pushed because I was a sitting duck - I should be blitzing those guys away really."

Dutchman Verstappen and German Frentzen are reported to be fighting over the second seat at Arrows, with the loser set to be an option for Minardi or Prost. Webber must wait for the outcome of their futures before he knows if he will have a Grand Prix drive this year.