SEPTEMBER 3, 2003

Bell runs at Lurcy Levis

Townsend Bell had his first runs in a Formula 1 car yesterday at the Lurcy Levis testing facility near Magny-Cours in central France, at the wheel of a BAR-Honda. Bell is due to do three days of aerodynamic testing for the team, checking that the results of the windtunnel are confirmed when the car runs on a track.

"It's the fastest car I've ever driven," said Bell. "I was too busy smiling to be too analytical on the first run."

BAR is running a three-car test at Monza this week with Jenson Button, Jacques Villeneuve and Anthony Davidson all doing two days of running and Takuma Sato doing the full three-day test and did not have enough available drivers to use one of the team's four regulars and so had to call in Bell. Townsend's Arden Formula 3000 team mate Bjorn Wirdheim will also test with the team later this month.