Viso gets Minardi USA test

The Venezuelan attended this year's Champ Car finale in Mexico City with a view to moving into the series next season, and will try the championship's DP01 chassis for the first time on Monday and Tuesday.

"I'm very excited for this test and am looking forward to working with everyone at Minardi Team USA," said the 22-year-old. "I am sure it will be a very productive test and we can then evaluate our options for next year.

"I think it would be a positive move for me and my career to be in Champ Car in 2008, and hopefully that will happen."

Viso took two race wins in the 2006 GP2 Series but only managed a part-season this year and was lucky to emerge unhurt from a horrific accident at Magny-Cours.

Minardi will also run British driver Dillon Battistini at Sebring. The 29-year-old has raced in Asia in recent seasons, winning this year's Asia-Pacific Formula Three title.

"After a few years in F3, I am looking to progress to something different for next season so I am excited about the potential that this test has for my career," Battistini said.

"This is a very exciting opportunity for me. Champ Car is obviously a step up from what I have been doing for the last couple of seasons but, despite my successes in F3, I didn't expect to be given the chance to test a DP01 Champ Car quite so soon."

Minardi USA's lead driver Robert Doornbos finished third in this year's Champ Car standings, taking two race wins and the Rookie of the Year title.