FEBRUARY 2, 2007

Marco Andretti back in action for Honda F1

Marco Andretti will be back in action again with Honda F1 next week in Jerez. It will be second test for the young American and the word is that this time he will be accompanied to the test by his grandfather, former F1 World Champion Mario Andretti. The announcement has once again been timed to avoid too much exposure and this would seem to suggest that the team is deliberately adopting a low-key approach to the tests to avoid putting too much pressure on Andretti and, at the same time, keeping down speculation about Marco's future in F1. A second test, however, is a clear indication that the team is interested and wants to see just how good the youngster is. He may be under contract in the US until the end of 2008 but as Jenson Button proved last year no contract exists that cannot be cancelled if the price is right and while Michael Andretti might not want to lose his son from Andretti Green Racing in 2008 a truck-load of Honda money might change his view - if Marco does enough to impress the engineers at Honda.

Andretti's ambitions are to win the Indianapolis 500 and he has a decent shot at that this year but in the end the lure of F1 may be stronger.