Wilson Aims to Beat Teammate Verstappen

Justin Wilson says he will be doing his more experienced Minardi teammate Jos Verstappen no favours on the track in his debut Formula One season.

Wilson, who won the 2001 Formula 3000 title, is out to make his mark after a long and frustrating battle - hampered by his 6ft 3in frame - to get on the F1 grid.

"I've only met Jos once when my Minardi drive was announced and he said 'hello' and 'well done' and he seems like a nice lad," Wilson said. "Us getting on will be good if we're to move Minardi up the grid but it won't count for much when we're out on the track.

"At all levels of motor racing, you want to beat your teammate - it's only natural. If I beat Jos, who a lot of people rate, then it can only be good for my career."

Wilson was still racing in karts when Dutchman Verstappen got his Formula One break as Michael Schumacher's teammate at Benetton in 1994 and made headlines when his car erupted in a fireball during a pit-stop in Germany.

"Jos's experience will be good for me and the team - we're both keen to move Minardi forwards," Wilson said. "I think Minardi have made a wise choice. I don't know if that's the case with, say, Jaguar who have gone for two inexperienced drivers (Australia's Mark Webber and Brazil's Antonio Pizzonia)."

Wilson is also confident he will be able to cope with any butterflies on the grid at the opening race of the season in Melbourne.

"There's no way I'm going to be on pole position, more likely towards the back of the grid to begin with," he added. "I'm sure it will flash through my mind that somewhere up there ahead of me is Michael Schumacher, but I'm grown up and my own man.

"I can't think of some of the other drivers as heroes any more. They're rivals who I have to race."