Lehto Joins Williams Reckoning.

Former F1 star JJ Lehto has added his name to the list of possible replacements for Alex Zanardi at Williams, even though the team refuses to confirm whether or not the Italian will be staying.


Lehto, who switched to the US Champcar scene after his grand prix career dried up, hopes that the influence of manager and former Williams world champion Keke Rosberg will persuade the Grove team to consider him for a place - even if it is only in a testing role for 2000.


"It is good for us because we know all the Williams bosses," Lehto admitted, "There is little chance that something will happen, but I'd be happy to get the chance to test a Williams. I guess then they'll choose the driver according to the tests."


The Finn's cause will also be helped by his record with new engine supplier BMW. Lehto looked a possible winner of Le Mans this season before an accident sent him off the road and out of the race, and it is possible that the German manufacturer will smooth his path into the team.


This is an advantage that neither of the team's recent testers can claim, although Brazilian Bruno Junqueira does have the luxury of being supported by Williams' fuel supplier Petrobras. Both Junqueira and Briton Darren Manning ran with the team at the recent Jerez group test and, according to Williams personnel, both acquitted themselves admirably.


Manning, the recent winner of the Macau-Korea F3 double-header, was confident that he had done a good enough job to warrant a grand prix outfit taking a punt on his ability next season.


"I feel now that I am ready for F1, and the last couple of days have proven that," he claimed, "I am ready to be given the chance. Everything was extremely familiar, even though [the test] was in damp conditions.


"I felt at one with the Williams just as I do with my F3 car, and felt that I could push extremely fast - as fast as the car would go. It was extremely driveable. The braking power and the high-speed corner grip were absolutely phenomenal. More laps would have helped, but I was very close to Ralf [Schumacher] on the data."


Favourite to replace Zanardi - should the Italian decide to leave - Juan Montoya has said that he will not be leaving the CART series next season.