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Formula 1 News (2006)
F1 News - Davidson Secures Super Aguri Seat For 2007
18/11/2006
After six years as Honda's test and reserve driver, Anthony Davidson has finally earned a full-time race drive in Formula 1. He will partner Takuma Sato at the Bridgestone-shod Super Aguri team in 2007.
"This is a great opportunity for me," said the 27-year-old Briton (above). "I'm really excited about my first full season as a race driver in F1. I've been impressed with the improvements made by the team throughout the 2006 season, and I can already see from my first visits to the factory that the team is very hard working and highly motivated. I can't wait to get started."
The careers of Davidson and Sato have crossed regularly to date. They were team-mates in British Formula 3 in 2001, when Takuma beat Anthony to the title, and they shared testing duties at BAR Honda, until Sato raced for the team in 2004 and '05. Anthony then subbed for Takuma at the 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix, when a virus stopped him from driving.
Anthony regularly topped the Friday testing times at Grands Prix during 2006, and he has been described by Honda race driver Jenson Button as "a great little driver".
News that Super Aguri have finalised their '07 driver line-up means that only two F1 seats remain open next year, at McLaren and Spyker MF1.
Fernando Alonso moves from champions Renault to McLaren in the new year. Christijan Albers has been confirmed as one of the Dutch team's drivers, and confirmation concerning the second seat is expected soon.
Meanwhile, Honda has confirmed that former Red Bull Racing driver, Christian Klien will take up Davidson's role of Test and Reserve Driver. In addition, James Rossiter steps up to the role of an official test driver.
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