Wilson's Manager Hopes for Minardi Deal this Week

Jonathan Palmer, the manager of Grand Prix hopeful Justin Wilson, will meet with Minardi boss Paul Stoddart tomorrow to discuss the future of the British driver.

Wilson, who has already been fitted for size in a mock-up of the 2003 Minardi car, needs to find an estimated $5 million dollars in sponsorship to secure the deal but Palmer is pinning his hopes on an innovative investment plan.

Palmer will attempt to use Wilson's profile as a probable future star to raise funds by getting people to invest in his future potential.

"There is a real desire to make it happen," he said. "I will meet Paul in the next few days to try to sort out a deal. Certainly they are looking at five million of funding from their drivers but we are working on a number of ways of generating it."

Palmer believes that if Wilson can get his chance next year, he will achieve even more than highly-acclaimed Australian sensation Mark Webber did for the team this season.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that he will be even more highly-rated than Webber," said former Formula One driver Palmer. "He outpaced him in Formula 3000 and it is a natural progression."

A spokesperson for Minardi suggested the deal could be concluded by the end of this month and said: "We should make an engine announcement at the end of this week and then we will announce the drivers."