Alonso confirmed at Minardi.

After a week and more of speculation, and Benetton's Flavio Briatore letting the cat out of the bag earlier than expected, Fernando Alonso has finally been confirmed as Minardi's first driver for the 2001 season.

The announcement was made by Minardi's new owner, European Aviation boss Paul Stoddart earlier today [Wednesday], and follows a first, secret, test for the Spaniard in one of the Italian outfit's cars last weekend.

The 19-year-old finished fourth overall in the FIA International F3000 Championship last season, his first year of competition in the Formula One support series, and scored a well-deserved victory at Spa-Francorchamps after starting his Astromega-run car from a convincing pole position. Alonso is already familiar to European Minardi personnel as a result of his role as test driver for the team in 2000, although he had to gain his superlicence mileage at the wheel of a Benetton before Christmas to ensure that he was properly qualified for the coming season.

"We've had our eye on Fernando for some time, and we are delighted to have signed him," said Stoddart, "Any driver who can come into the ultra-competitive world of F3000 and, in only his second season of single-seater racing, win at a circuit like Spa, is clearly a bit special. He is going to be a great addition to the team, and I know he will help us hit some of the ambitious targets we are setting for European Minardi F1."

Further details concerning the team's 2001 driver line-up will be released shortly, although many names remain in the frame. Stoddart has admitted that he has a wide selection to choose from, given the fact that Minardi is the only team with vacancies, but will be disappointed to have missed out on another Spaniard, Pedro de la Rosa, who opted to sign as test driver for Prost just yesterday.

Britons Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell have both been mentioned in connection with the second seat, which Stoddart wants to fill with an experienced grand prix head, but both have already intimated that their futures may lie outside the top flight. Herbert is being linked to the DTM and Blundell to a possible Indy 500 outing. Both have also been linked to a role with the new Bentley sportscar team.

The team is expected to join Benetton, Williams, Jaguar and Prost in running Michelins this season, following unconfirmed reports that Alonso's test was conducted using the French rubber.