AS big time sporting debuts go, Anthony Davidson enjoyed a good one at the weekend (August 17/18), and enhanced his prospects of landing a permanent drive in Formula One next season in the process.

The Hemel Hempstead-born test driver for British American Racing (BAR), who Minardi named as a two-race replacement for the out-of-sorts Alex Yoong last week, achieved his main aim of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old comfortably made sure of his place on the grid, finishing within the 107 per cent limit of pole-sitter Rubens Barichello, before he went on to complete three-quarters of Sunday's race, which saw Ferrari add the constructor's title to Michael Schumacher's driver's championship.

Although Britain's latest Formula One star was always last before he spun into a gravel trap on lap 61, he showed what he is capable of by recording the 14th fastest lap of the race after coming into the pits for his second refuelling and new tyre stop.

Davidson attracted widespread media attention throughout the weekend and was extensively featured in ITV's coverage of the race, but ex-Formula One driver Mark Blundell summed up most experts' views of his debut as a "solid job".

Last year's British Formula Three championship runner-up will be aiming to build on his Hungarian showing at next week's Belgian Grand Prix where another strong performance could push him even nearer the head of the queue for a permanent drive next year.

A vacancy at Minardi is looking increasingly likely, with Davidson's current team-mate Mark Webber reported to be moving to Jaguar, while an elevation into the second BAR hot seat could also be a possibility, with Jenson Button's move from Renault casting doubt over the futures of current drivers Olivier Panis and Jacques Villeneuve.

Reflecting on his first taste of a Formula One race, Davidson said afterwards: "It was definitely a lot harder than it looks on the television, and the first stint of the race went by so fast, I couldn't believe it!

"It took a bit of time to get into a rhythm, but once I did, I was able to push harder and harder, until I found the limit.

"This weekend was always going to be a learning experience for me, and I'm pleased with my performance today, but disappointed not to have finished the race.

"It was my mistake, as I got onto a slightly dusty part of the track while trying to allow overtaking room, and the back end of the car just snapped away.

"On the positive side, the pit stops were fun, and I now understand what it feels like to be in a Formula One race. I'm really looking forward to Spa, where the cars should be just awesome."

As a driver who was normally at the front of the field in his karting days, Davidson is not used to being lapped, and ITV race co-commentator Martin Brundle expressed the view that he was too respectful to the front-runners, giving them more room than necessary to overtake.

This was particularly apparent when he backed right off to let Barichello and Schumacher past, but Davidson described being persistently overtaken as a "strange experience", and admitted: "I did not want anyone to think that I had blocked them deliberately, so maybe I was a bit conservative."

Previously, Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart had nothing but praise for his new driver's qualifying performance.

"For Anthony to come in in what was his first ever Formula One race, in addition to the fact he had never driven a car at the Hungaroring before, I am really pleased," Stoddart told the BBC.

"It's a difficult track to learn and to be only half a second away from Mark (Webber), and to have put in what is now five faultless sessions, that's pretty good by anybody's standards.

"He was cool, although I'm sure there were some hidden nerves, but he has worked very well with his race engineer.

"In each session he has improved and I could not be more pleased."

Following the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on September 1, Yoong is scheduled to return to his Minardi seat, while Davidson reverts to his role as BAR's test driver.

August 23, 2002 12:00