Papis to drive for Team Italy

Max Papis is hoping to wave the flag for Italy by driving for his national team in the penultimate round of the inaugural A1 Grand Prix series at Laguna Seca in a fortnight's time in place of Enrico Toccacelo or Max Busnelli.

"I'm really excited by A1 Grand Prix," he reported when caught wandering around the paddock at Monterrey on Friday. "I'm hoping that I will get the drive. The formula [A1GP] looks really good, as there's not too much technology and not too little." The 36-year-old Champ Car racer turned sportscar ace would bring considerable experience of the Californian circuit, having raced there in Champ Cars before he turned to sportscars after the end of the 2003 season.

If Papis gets to race at Laguna Seca, the former Arrows driver will become the sixth driver with Formula One racing experience to compete in A1 Grand Prix, following in the wheel tracks of Jos Verstappen (A1 Team Netherlands), Christian Fittipaldi (A1 Team Brazil), Ralph Firman (A1 Team Ireland), Alex Yoong (A1 Team Malaysia) and Patrick Friesacher (A1 Team Austria). A1GP