MAY 29, 1995

Boullion's big break

WILLIAMS test driver Jean-Christophe Boullion has been loaned out by Frank Williams to drive for the Sauber-Ford team for the rest of the season. He replaces Karl Wendlinger, who has failed to live up to the team's hopes this year. Wendlinger was recovering from head injuries he received in a crash at Monaco last year but has been unable to keep pace with team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen this season.

Wendlinger will be retained by Sauber as a test driver as Boullion will not be able to do much work with Sauber as Williams still intends to use him for testing and promotional work this year.

Boullion was given a few laps in a Sauber at Barcelona last weekend but went to Monaco pretty much unprepared. Although qualifying was a bit stressful with Jules having a couple of crashes, the young Frenchman did a good job in the race, being classified eighth, despite being punted off at the very last corner by Gianni Morbidelli.

The Sauber drive gives Boullion the chance to get some good solid racing experience in F1. It also means that Frank Williams will be able to find out just how good Heinz-Harald Frentzen actually is. The German is a bit of a mystery to most F1 teams as he has only be measured against Wendlinger and Andrea de Cesaris. Using Bouillon as a yardstick, Williams will be able to ascertain whether Frentzen is as quick as Damon Hill and David Coulthard.