Yoong closes in on Minardi race seat

The Australian, who took over the struggling Minardi team at the start of the year, has already given Yoong two tests in his car and says he is almost ready for action.

"It will be whenever I think he is ready to go in," said Stoddart. "I would think it is not unrealistic to say that he will make it for Monza [on September 16] or, if he does very well, Spa [September 2] - either one of those. The last resort would be the last two fly-aways [America and Japan], but I actually do think that he'll be earlier than that."

Stoddart added that he would like to give Yoong as much seat time as possible after the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Malaysian impressed during his last F1 test at Monza in Italy, where he ran close to the times of regular driver Fernando Alonso.

"If he keeps continuing the way he has done so far he's going to make it," said Stoddart. "He's done everything we've asked him to do, he's not screwed up at all and his technical feedback is good."

The Minardi team chief believes that Yoong's task will be made harder, however, by the pressure of being the first Asian F1 driver.

"What I am worried about is he has got so much pressure to perform," he said. "If you're carrying the pride of not just your own nation but arguably half of Asia, then that must be one hell of a responsibility."

Yoong will eventually replace Brazilian Tarso Marques, who has been driving on a race-by-race basis this season.