Bruni called up for Italy

Bruni will join the team's regular driver Enrico Toccacelo in a three-driver line-up, with Andrea Montermini returning after practising for the squad at the last round at Eastern Creek.

Toccacelo has raced for the team at every meeting so far this season, however, will be under threat for the race drive this weekend, with Bruni having previous race experience of Sepang at the 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Team boss Piercarlo Ghinzani will make the decision on who will race after giving all three time in the car in free practice.

Ghinzani told Autosprint: "Enrico Toccacelo is the leader of Team Italia in A1 GP, but in Malaysia I'll also bring Andrea Montermini, as I already did in Australia, and Gianmaria Bruni. The fastest of the three will drive in the race."

Toccacelo's manager Gianpaolo Matteucci has questioned the decision to change the drive-line up.

He said: "Enrico is a professional and behaves like one. From Australia he went directly to Sepang, where we'll race this week. We have a verbal agreement for Malaysia and we'll show up there.

"I understand Toccacelo is a luxury, because he doesn't bring money, but he's also the only top driver around with experience with these cars, which are driven a bit like the F3000 cars which he knows well.

"The problem so far were more down to the lack of experience of the team more than anything else. So what's the point of changing a driver who, as we know, has plenty of experience on these cars?"