Wilson ready to be back in action

Justin Wilson and the Minardi F1 team are back in action this weekend just days after finishing 13th in the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany. The French Grand Prix, hosted at the 4.41km Circuit de Nevers in Magny-Cours, deep in the Burgundy region, sets some new challenges for this year's grid as additional track changes should provide more overtaking opportunities during the 70-lap race, not least the new run down to Lycee Pin and the chicane leading onto the start-finish straight.

The track comprises long fast straights with medium speed corners and hairpins. The revisions to the layout, especially in the final stages of the lap, have been designed to increase passing opportunities, something that has traditionally been lacking in the French Grand Prix.

Having raced to 13th in Germany, despite a broken exhaust on his Minardi PS03, Justin is looking forward to the opportunity to race on successive weekends and tackle the new look Magny-Cours circuit.

"It's exciting to be back in the car so soon," the British rookie enthused. "We had a good run at the Nurburgring with both Minardi's finishing. From a personal point of view it was good to get another race distance under my belt following the disappointment of coming so close to the end and a top ten finish in Canada."

"I've always enjoyed racing at Magny-Cours and I finished on the podium there in my final year in F3000. I'm looking forward to seeing the new changes and how it affects our set-up for the race. Tyre wear is likely to be an issue as well with the track having a very smooth surface in comparison to others."

Justin's three previous races at the French track in International F3000 resulted in tenth and ninth place finishes in 1999 and 2000 respectively before going on to qualify on the second row and finish second to Mark Webber in 2001, Justin's record breaking championship winning year.

-www.justinwilson.co.uk-