F1: Fairuz has a bright chance of landing spot

FAIRUZ Fauzy is on the list but he is not a certainty to make his Formula One race debut with the 1Malaysia-Lotus F1 Team next season. The 27-year-old Malaysian, according to 1Malaysia-Lotus F1 Team technical director Mike Gascoyne, is among those being considered, although he would prefer to have two experienced drivers doing the job in the team's first season.

What seems at the very least a near certainty for Fairuz is a test drive seat with the team next season.

Fairuz, who next weekend challenges for his best ever finish in the Formula 3.5 World Series by Renault at Motorland Aragon in Spain, does have the benefit of having worked briefly with Gascoyne during his time as test driver for the Spyker F1 Team in 2007.

So does the name linked closely to Gascoyne, current Toyota driver Jarno Trulli, who has a close relationship with the much traveled technical director.


The team's first ever driver line-up is set to be announced next month and Gascoyne, who is currently in Kuala Lumpur, remains tight-lipped over the matter.

"You have to look at what's best for the team. Ultimately, you'd want to have two experienced drivers. Because as a new team, with two new drivers, you would not know where you are," said Gascoyne.

"We have to see. In Fairuz Fauzy you've got a very, very good racing driver. But he's in a bunch of GP2 drivers who are all ready for F1," added Gascoyne.

"I'm sure that we'll have a Malaysian driving the car at some stage next year in testing, but will he have a race seat? That we have to wait and see. It is a possibility, but we're very realistic.
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"We want the best people in it. So, we want a Malaysian in it, when he's capable of being the with the best. If we don't adopt that approach, we will be the team at the back."