Williams Reject BAR Claims over Davidson Test

Williams rejected claims made by BAR that they have demanded "unconditional arrangement" for testing Anthony Davidson next week, stating the cancellation of the planned test was entirely because of BAR.

Briton Davidson has been highly rated after a season of running as third driver for BAR-Honda on the Friday sessions before every Grand Prix, often setting the fastest time of the day among his peers. He was reported to have signed a preliminary contract to race for Jaguar next season, before owners Ford decided to sell the team.

Davidson, who started two Grands Prix for Minardi in 2002, was set to test for Williams along with Jordan's Nick Heidfeld and Antonio Pizzonia, in a 'shoot-out' for the second racing seat, alongside Mark Webber.

But BAR said yesterday they would not allow Davidson, who is on a long-term contract with the team, to test for Williams, with technical director Geoff Willis stating: "Williams have insisted on an unconditional arrangement which, unfortunately, is untenable for the team."

But a Williams spokesman told Atlas F1's The Weekly Grapevine that it was in fact BAR who presented 'a whole laundry list of conditions'.

"We were willing to evaluate Anthony on the 30th (of November) at Jerez on one condition: that we have a call on his services for 2005, with an option for 2006 if BAR were not in a position to offer Anthony a race seat," the spokesman said.

"That was all. In fact, BAR came along with a whole laundry list of conditions for his release, not us."

Davidson now seems unlikely to land a racing drive next season, and with the only remaining seats left at the lower end of the grid he could well opt to continue testing for BAR in 2005, with the hope of landing a racing seat with the team in 2006 - possibly replacing Jenson Button, who is still looking to move to Williams in a year's time.

Without Davidson, Williams will now need to make a choice between Heidfeld and Pizzonia, and the Williams spokesman confirmed to Atlas F1 that the Brazilian's chances are somewhat better than the German's.

"We know what Antonio can do," the spokesperson said of the team's 2004 test driver, "and he obviously has in-depth knowledge of the team and car, so Nick will have to do something really special during the test.

"It won't be easy for him, but he is a driver with F1 experience in various teams, so he has that advantage."

Pizzonia, who started four Grands Prix this season, replacing injured Ralf Schumacher at Williams, could line up with his former Jaguar teammate Mark Webber if he is picked for the drive. The Australian, however, already stated he did not care who would be his teammate next year.

Read the full article in this week's The Weekly Grapevine