Kolby Tests New Bar Livery.

Denmark's latest F1 hopeful Kristian Kolby tested British American Racing's new livery at Pembrey last week, as the team attempted to head off any controversy over the colour scheme.


The F3 star drove an F3000 car mocked up in the new livery in order to circumvent the testing ban imposed on grand prix teams during November, and pronounced himself pleased with his day's work.


The secret test involved just Kolby, a handful of BAR crew members and representatives of sponsor British American Tobacco, and the team conducted both fast and slow drive-bys to evaluate the effectiveness of the new design. It is not clear whether the paintwork resembles that 'revealed' by Bernie Ecclestone at Spa in August, and no official announcement has been made as to its use in 2000.


BAR is keen to avoid the controversy it caused at the beginning of this year, when it presented two cars in separate liveries to please both of its major tobacco brand sponsors. The FIA outlawed the designs - and threatened sanctions against the team - and BAR responded by producing its now infamous 'split' livery.


Kolby - effectively promoted to Denmark's number one GP hope by Jason Watt's post-season accident - admitted to being disappointed at having to drive an F3000 chassis, but believed the opportunity still stood him in good stead for the future. He recently won his first F3 event, co-incidentally also at Pembrey.


"It's a pity it wasn't a real F1 car," he said, "but I enjoyed the session very much, and met some people who could be very important to me later in my career."


BAR is also reported to be offering Macau F3 winner Darren Manning a test drive in its car, with a view to giving him the job on a permanent basis.