Pizzonia set for Champ Car test

The test is scheduled to take place next month, and the young Brazilian has had to withdraw from the end-of-season blue riband F3 events in Macau and Korea in order to drive the Mo Nunn Reynard-Mercedes.

Pizzonia's test is unlikely to lead to a full-time ride as the Mo Nunn team currently runs one car for Tony Kanaan and it is unsure whether the team will expand for 2001. Should a second car be fielded by the one-year-old team, Jimmy Vasser is in pole position to take the seat.

Pizzonia dominated this year's British F3 championship and has also impressed during numerous tests for the Benetton Formula 1 team. The 20-year-old is keen to keep his focus on Europe, but next month's test will help to make him better known stateside.

"We're pleased to have been offered something by the man who took Juan Montoya and Alex Zanardi to the championship," Pizzonia's spokesman told Autosport. "But we don't want it to detract from his Formula 1 ambitions."