BAR-Honda test driver Anthony Davidson has turned down a prime drive in the Champ Car World Series to keep himself in line for a BAR-Honda race drive.
The Briton was approached to replace Bruno Junqueira in the multiple championship-winning Newman-Haas squad in the US-based series, after the Brazilian broke his back in the Indianapolis 500 last Sunday.
Davidson is believed to have discussed the offer with BAR management before deciding against an opportunity that would have given him access to race-winning machinery.
Sources indicate that he was given assurances by BAR-Honda that he is in line for a race drive should a vacancy become available.
"I got approached by Newman-Haas to replace Bruno Junqueira," Davidson confirmed to ITV-F1's website.
"But I decided not to go forward with it because my main objective is race with BAR-Honda in Formula 1 next year."
Jenson Button is understood to have a clause in his contract that allows Williams to take up its option on him if he does not score 75% of the world championship leader's points total by the end of the Turkish Grand Prix.
With Button needing to win the next five races with Fernando Alonso not scoring to avoid such an eventuality, it seems likely that at least one seat will become available at BAR in 2006.
Other drivers that have been connected to a potential switch to BAR are Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello, Red Bull Racing star David Coulthard and McLaren test driver Alexander Wurz.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=33026
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good choice, it would be very silly of him to accept that offer. I'm pretty sure he'll get that seat he's been wanting for years.