Brazilian Zonta joins BAR Formula One team

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Reuters

SAO PAULO (Oct 27, 1998 - 15:08 EST) - Brazilian Ricardo Zonta will partner
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve at the new British American Racing (BAR)
Formula One team next season.

BAR managing director Craig Pollock announced on Tuesday that the
22-year-old, who won the FIA GT sportscar world championship in a Mercedes
at the weekend with German Klaus Ludwig, had signed for the team.

"I am delighted to have secured the services of Ricardo Zonta who, at
only 22 years of age, has shown the talent and maturity of a driver of far
more experience," he said.

Zonta's manager Geraldo Rodrigues said the driver had turned down offers
from rival teams Jordan, who wanted him on a three-year contract, and
Sauber, who offered two years, before opting for BAR.

Rodrigues said that Zonta had signed a one-year contract which allows
McLaren Mercedes, for whom he was a test driver this season, to bring him
back for the 2000 season but only as a team driver.

He said Zonta had been guaranteed a reserve car for every race next year.
"This is very important for a driver in his first year. He will have
the same equipment as Villeneuve," Rodrigues said.

Zonta, who won the Formula 3000 international series last year, was South
American Formula Three champion.

He first made waves in the Formula One community last year when he was
invited to a seven-day testing session at Silverstone by Jordan team owner
Eddie Jordan.

The Brazilian, who lists late compatriot Ayrton Senna as his great idol,
turned in a time of one minute 31.09 seconds in his first drive in the 1998
prototype, second only to Mika Hakkinen's time of 1:30.33.

On a flying visit to Sao Paulo, he ducked questions that asked him to
compare himself to past Brazilian greats such as Senna and Nelson Piquet
and said he had only met his new team-mate once.

Describing his new team boss as very professional, he added; "I
believe he's going to give an equal chance to both drivers and not just
favour Villeneuve."

Pollock said BAR had followed Zonta's progress through motor racing for some time.

"What impresses us most is Zonta's intelligence and willingness to
take calculated risks. When the time comes to make the move, he always
does, and he is smart enough to back off when the opportunity isn't quite
there."

Zonta is expected to join BAR for testing in December.

He will be at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend with the McLaren Mercedes team.

Villeneuve, the reigning Formula One champion, signed for BAR in July. The
Canadian is currently at Williams where he has had a poor season.

Pollock is Villeneuve's former manager and the BAR venture marries his
entrepreneurial skills with the engineering abilities of technical director
Adrian Reynard and the massive funds of British American Tobacco (BATS.L).

BAT bought the struggling Tyrrell team last December to form the base for
their entry into Formula One.

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