Bernoldi to test Prost.

Brazilian F3000 standout Enrique Bernoldi is to receive a test drive with Prost at Barcelona today, as the French team seeks a second driver for 2001.

The Sauber reject, cast aside in the scramble to land Kimi Raikkonen last week, is now actively seeking alternative employment and, with only Jean Alesi confirmed at Prost, will hope to take his chance to impress team bosses in Spain today.

Two years with the Red Bull Junior team in the FIA F3000 series confirmed the promise that Bernoldi showed in narrowly missing the British F3 title in 1998, and he was widely expected to slide into the second Sauber seat alongside Nick Heidfeld after several testing appearances with the team last season. Raikkonen's sudden emergence on the scene rather scuppered Bernoldi's ambitions, however, and with a loss of faith in Sauber, he is now casting his net elsewhere.

With only Minardi and Prost seemingly having vacancies for 2001 - Arrows is likely to resign both last year's drivers - Bernoldi has joined the list of hopefuls expected to try out with the French team at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya this week. He is tipped to drive alongside French veteran Alesi today [Wednesday], with others, including CART refugee Oriol Servia and Minardi's Gaston Mazzacane slated to run tomorrow.

Prost is rumoured to be looking for a financed driver to partner Alesi, following the withdrawal of sponsor Gauloises, and Bernoldi's connections with Red Bull may prove to be useful in future seasons.

The company's boss, Dieter Mateschitz, has already intimated that he is not satisfied with his relationship with Sauber and, while denying that he is considering the purchase of Minardi, may look to hook up elsewhere.

Former Sauber driver Pedro Diniz is already on the management team at Prost, following his decision to quit racing, while Alesi is another former member of Red Bull's F1 team.