DECEMBER 1, 2000

Burti preparing for first taste of F1 season

NEW Jaguar driver Luciano Burti will taste the Jaguar R-1B at Silverstone on Friday and the Brazilian is relishing the return of Formula One action.

Burti believes the shakedown test at the Northamptonshire circuit will be crucial to his development in his first full season on the F1 grid - because he needs the experience.

"It's quite unusual, because I tested for Stewart in 1998 and in 1999 and for Jaguar in 2000, but when you are a test driver, you have to work on whatever the team asks you to do," Burti said.

"You can't set up the car for your style. It's going to be a different experience to me. I think I will learn a lot, and obviously this is very important to a rookie driver like me."

Burti refused to make any predictions for the 2001 season but admitted that the Milton Keynes-based team's new tire deal with Michelin will give them added assistance to move up the grid.

He added: "I think Jaguar will have a better car for 2001, but it's now very soon to say if we are going to be more competitive.

"The tires will play a important part of our possibilities next year, so I hope we can work a lot with Michelin in order to take the best of our tires."