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Anthony Davidson

Name: Anthony Davidson

Nationality: Great Britain

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• Anthony Davidson

Anthony Davidson is eagerly awaiting for his second full season in F1 with Super Aguri, but points are needed if he wants to retain his race seat.

Davidson began his career in kart racing in 1987 and raced in various British, European and North American championships. In 1997 he made the move into cars, racing Formula Fords and winning the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award in 2000.

A year later, the Brit moved into the European and British Formula Three Championships and was crowned Champion in the European series while finishing runner-up in the British series.

Later in 2001, Davidson entered F1 when he was signed by BAR as their test driver. His impressive performances led to Minardi asking for his services for a couple of grands prix in 2002.

Davidson, though, failed to finish both the Hungarian and Belgian grands prix.

He continued in his role with Honda and in 2004 was given a golden opportunity to shine when F1 introduced a Friday third driver rule.

Davidson frequently impressed with his pace and Williams expressed an interest in signing him as a 2005 race driver.

However, the deal didn't go ahead as Williams wanted a long-term contract and Honda were only prepared to loan him out for one season.

Davidson therefore returned to his test driver duties in 2005, although as BAR had finished the previous season in the top four in the constructors' standings he was not permitted to drive during grand prix Friday practice sessions.

He was, however, given the chance to race for Honda in that season's Malaysian Grand Prix after he was called up to replace the ill Takuma Sato.

But it was another DNF for Davidson as his Honda engine expired just two laps into the race.

2006 saw Davidson yet again testing for the team, now renamed Honda F1 and, as the team had failed to reach the top four in 2005, the test driver was once again back in action during grand prix Fridays.

But, after six years of biding his time, Davidson was finally given a full-time race-seat with Super Aguri, Honda's B-team, for the 2007 F1 season.

He partnered Takuma Sato - who beat him to the 2001 British F3 title - during the Championship, proving to be a match for his more experienced team-mate when it came to qualifying.

However, it was the races themselves that were Davidson's undoing.

He failed to score points, while his team-mate clinched four, including a sixth- placed finish at the Canadian GP.

Unlike Sato, Davidson also failed to break into the top ten during qualifying, his best results being a trio of P11s.

Five retirements didn't help either - only two of them being due to reliability issues.

Davidson, though, remains with Super Aguri for the 2008 Championship, where he'll be hoping to play a role in the team's climb up the order.