Junqueira optimistic he is fit enough

The Brazilian will make his return to the cockpit for the first time in six months at Sebring for a three-day test on December 12.

Junqueira injured his back in a crash in May's Indy 500 and has delayed his return on medical advice, after fears he might suffer more permanent damage to himself if he were to have an accident again.

But he has worked on maintaining his physical strength since the crash, and although he appreciates he won't be at race fitness, he doesn't think the test will be too physically demanding.

"I know that I'm not 100 per cent fitness level where I should be, but I'm almost there and better than most," Junqueira told cart.com. "I have a normal life right now. I can do everything and I can drive the car. I was very fit before, able to do the races very easy... no, not very easy: less hard than most of the drivers."

He went for a new seat fitting at Newman Haas' Chicago headquarters factory last week, and the early part of the test will be to make him feel comfortable again. There will be the option of the middle day of the test being used as a day's rest should he need it.

"I'm going to drive normal," he added. "I'm going to approach it as a regular test. Maybe on the first day we aren't going to do much testing on the car; it's going to be more for myself to adapt to some of the things that have been developed this year after my accident.

"Then the second day will maybe be more testing; trying to begin preparations for next year, for Long Beach."