- News>
- Motorsports
Wilson faces race against time
Hockenheim, July 29: Justin Wilson has a maximum of four races to convince Jaguar to keep him on for next season.
Hockenheim, July 29: Justin Wilson has a maximum of four races to convince Jaguar to keep him on for next season.
Team boss Tony Purnell has said that Jaguar would have to decide the identity of the driver to partner Australian Mark Webber in 2004 before the end of the season, which is in five races' time.
That gives former Minardi driver Wilson at most until the US Grand Prix on 28 September to prove his worth - with speculation suggesting Jaguar will in face decide after the previous Italian race on 14 September. "The decision will have to be made before the end of the season, to be honest," said Purnell, head of car manufactuter Ford's Premier Performance Division, which controls the Jaguar team.
"It's going to be a complicated equation but that's Formula One.
"His chances are equal or better than most. If you are sitting in the seat then you are always in a good position."
McLaren test driver Alexander Wurz and Sauber's Nick Heidfeld have also been linked with the second Jaguar seat in 2004.
Purnell said the team would not be putting pressure on Wilson to start performing to his full potential at his debut for the team at this weekend's German Grand Prix.
Wilson will not have driven the Jaguar before he takes to the track at Hockenheim on Friday and will have to learn the car, its Michelin tyres and the circuit layout.
"We do not have any expectations for Justin for the next race," Purnell said.
"David Pitchforth [Jaguar Racing MD] has come up the analogy that the German GP will be like his [Wilson's] winter testing and the race in Hungary will be like the Australian GP.
"I think it will be an awful lot to ask to expect something in Germany."
Wilson, who is replacing Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia at Jaguar, said: "Three races is not a long time but it is three races more than you sometimes get.
"It's a question of whether they can see enough of me and what I'm like in that time. I don't know how they are going to make their decision. I'm just going to do the best job I can.
"I'm not going to sit back and relax. I'm going to keep pushing as hard as I can in all the races that I've got and make sure that I underline what I can do.
"If they think that's good enough at a certain time then great. If not, I still have to try to do the best that I can to get a job elsewhere."
He added: "I hope to be close to Mark at the end of the race. I know he's very strong so I don't think I'm going to outqualify him or outrace him in the first race."
That gives former Minardi driver Wilson at most until the US Grand Prix on 28 September to prove his worth - with speculation suggesting Jaguar will in face decide after the previous Italian race on 14 September. "The decision will have to be made before the end of the season, to be honest," said Purnell, head of car manufactuter Ford's Premier Performance Division, which controls the Jaguar team.
"It's going to be a complicated equation but that's Formula One.
"His chances are equal or better than most. If you are sitting in the seat then you are always in a good position."
McLaren test driver Alexander Wurz and Sauber's Nick Heidfeld have also been linked with the second Jaguar seat in 2004.
Purnell said the team would not be putting pressure on Wilson to start performing to his full potential at his debut for the team at this weekend's German Grand Prix.
Wilson will not have driven the Jaguar before he takes to the track at Hockenheim on Friday and will have to learn the car, its Michelin tyres and the circuit layout.
"We do not have any expectations for Justin for the next race," Purnell said.
"David Pitchforth [Jaguar Racing MD] has come up the analogy that the German GP will be like his [Wilson's] winter testing and the race in Hungary will be like the Australian GP.
"I think it will be an awful lot to ask to expect something in Germany."
Wilson, who is replacing Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia at Jaguar, said: "Three races is not a long time but it is three races more than you sometimes get.
"It's a question of whether they can see enough of me and what I'm like in that time. I don't know how they are going to make their decision. I'm just going to do the best job I can.
"I'm not going to sit back and relax. I'm going to keep pushing as hard as I can in all the races that I've got and make sure that I underline what I can do.
"If they think that's good enough at a certain time then great. If not, I still have to try to do the best that I can to get a job elsewhere."
He added: "I hope to be close to Mark at the end of the race. I know he's very strong so I don't think I'm going to outqualify him or outrace him in the first race."