Brundle tries a Benetton

FRUSTRATED Grand Prix racer Martin Brundle - who has been out of work since he was dropped by Jordan at the end of last season - was given an unexpected chance to test for Benetton last week at Silverstone. The chance came about because all three Benetton drivers: Jean Alesi, Gerhard Berger and Alexander Wurz were busy doing other things. Brundle completed 40 laps of Silverstone, shaking down the cars which will be used in Hungary this weekend.

The 38-year-old still harbors dreams of returning to the F1 cockpit to continue his 158-race career which dates back to 1984. In that period he drove for Tyrrell, Williams, Brabham, Benetton, Ligier, McLaren and Jordan but never managed to win a race. He has spent this year working as a television commentator with Britain's ITV network. A close friend of Tom Walkinshaw, he tried an Arrows-Yamaha A18 back in March at Silverstone but was disappointed to be passed over after Olivier Panis's accident left a vacancy with Prost. He was offered a Sauber drive at the British Grand Prix, standing in for the injured GianniÊMorbidelli, but turned down the opportunity as there was no time for him to test before the event.