JULY 15, 1996

Marques to test for Arrows

JOS VERSTAPPEN is to test Bridgestone tires this week at Magny-Cours, where he will be joined by Minardi's Brazilian youngster Tarso Marques. If the two-day test is a success Marques is expected to become the team's test driver in Japan, where Bridgestone is running a 1995 Ligier-Mugen Honda in nine tests before the end of the year - all of them at Suzuka.

Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw and Giancarlo Minardi had lengthy meetings at French GP to sort out the release of Marques from his commitments to the little Italian team.

The team has also recently tested Formula 3000 driver Kenny Brack but he is unlikely to be seen doing much F1 work until after he has finished his Formula 3000 campaign with the Super Nova team. Brack's F1 test was followed by an F3000 test at Mugello where the young Swede had several accidents. Super Nova team boss David Sears is unlikely to release him to Arrows again.

Brack must be considered a very strong candidate for a drive with Arrows next year as he has very strong backing from Sweden and is closely linked with Volvo. A couple of years ago, when Renault and Volvo were in discussion about a merger, Brack was able to get a test in a Williams-Renault. His support comes from Volvo subsidiary BIMA, headed by LennartÊNordby, who has also organized funding from clothing company H&M and the Ericsson mobile telephone empire.