Pedro to get the go-ahead.

Pedro de la Rosa has shown remarkably few ill-effects from his somersault at Monza, and should be fit enough to race at Indianapolis this weekend.

The Spaniard was involved in the first-lap shunt at the Italian GP which claimed the life of a young marshal, and it is the psychological aftermath that appears to have troubled him more in the run-up to the USGP. Nevertheless, after receiving the attention of Arrows physio Simon Jones, de la Rosa is now fit physically and mentally, and raring to go at the Brickyard.

Despite his charge's assertions that he feels fine, however, Jones will insist that he undergo a thorough physical on the eve of practice for the 15th round of the championship.

''I'll do a full spinal assessment, and a full muscular and soft tissue assessment, just to make sure that he's okay and that I'm happy with him,'' the medic explained to the team's official web-site, ''He assures me that he is [okay], but that's something that I want to do myself. Pedro's aware of that, and we'll be straight into our pre-race prep for Indy on Tuesday morning.''

Jones also expressed his amazement that de la Rosa was able to crawl out of his up-ended car with nothing more than bruising to his feet. Monitoring his condition over the next few days, however, he became aware of some minor psychological side-effects, which were put down to the news that the marshal had been killed in the drama.

''I did notice that he was a bit flat, as the whole episode came to light really,'' he said, ''As Pedro said, it's a situation where it doesn't really matter whose car was responsible for the death - just the fact that there had been a death in Formula One means that there's an element of grieving to go through.''

de la Rosa is expected to be confirmed alongside Jos Verstappen for 2001 at Indianapolis.