Anthony Davidson

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Anthony Davidson
F1 Record
Nationality	British
Car #	23
Current team	Honda
Team for 2007	Super Aguri
Grands Prix	3
World Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First Grand Prix	2002 Hungarian Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix	2005 Malaysian Grand Prix
2005 Championship position	NC (0 points)
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Anthony Denis Davidson (born 18 April 1979 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire) is an British racing driver from England.

After a six year tenure as test driver, including three years as reserve driver for the Honda Formula One team (previously B.A.R.), he will drive for the Honda powered Super Aguri F1 team in the 2007 Formula One season.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Formula One 2 Personal life 3 Complete Formula One Results 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Biography

Davidson began kart racing in 1987, racing in various British, European and North American championships. In 1999, he moved to cars, racing Formula Fords and winning the Kent county class of the British Formula Ford festival that year^[1].

The following season he was runner-up in the British Formula Ford championship but did win the blue riband Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and scooped the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award^[1].

In 2001, he competed in the British Formula Three championship with the Carlin team, finishing second overall to team-mate Takuma Sato. His performance improved throughout the season and he out-scored Sato from June until the season's end.

He won the Formula Three Pau Grand Prix, Spa Masters^[1] and FIA European Cup.

[edit] Formula One

In late 2001, Davidson became the test driver for British American Racing (BAR).

The following season Davidson started two races for Minardi who temporarily suspended regular driver Alex Yoong who had failed to qualify for three races. Minardi had originally planned to put Justin Wilson in the car but he proved too tall. Davidson's qualifying times were within 0.6s of team-mate Mark Webber's at his two starts in Hungary and Belgium, but he spun out of both events^[1].

He had no chance to race in 2003 and remained a test driver at BAR alongside Sato. When Sato was promoted to the race team following the departure of Jacques Villeneuve, it presented Davidson with the opportunity to become third driver^[1].

This was especially useful in 2004 as BAR were able to run a third car in Friday morning testing, which became Davidson's duty. He frequently impressed with his pace, although some have questioned the validity of these times as a raw indicator due to the lack of need to conserve the car in the way race drivers Jenson Button and Takuma Sato did. Contrary to popular rumour, only 2 of his fast times were set on light fuel - a fact his father has repeated many times on internet forums, where he frequently posts in support of his son.

In November 2004, BAR announced that it had failed to come to an acceptable contractual agreement with Williams to allow Davidson to drive for Wiliams in 2005 because Williams would not agree to his unconditional "repatriation" to BAR in 2006. Given BAR's long-term contract on Davidson, his chance of securing a race seat for 2005 was therefore called into serious doubt. He was given the opportunity to fill in for an unwell Takuma Sato at the 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix, but his Honda engine expired just two laps into the event.

For 2006, Davidson resumed his role as test driver for BAR, now owned by and renamed Honda F1. As BAR had failed to be one of the top four constructors the previous season, Honda were able to run a third car on Friday, giving Davidson a bigger role than in 2005. Having previously done some radio commentary work for BBC Radio 5 Live, in 2006 he made his debut as a television commentator, standing in for the absent Martin Brundle to work for ITV Sport at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which was won by his Honda team.

Speed TV reported at the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix that Davidson had all but signed with the Super Aguri F1 Racing Team. An announcement came on 15 November, confirming that Davidson will partner Takuma Sato at Super Aguri for the 2007 Formula One season.^[2]

[edit] Personal life

On 11 August 2006 Davidson married his girlfriend Carrie in Banbury, Oxfordshire. The couple reside in London.

Davidson is nicknamed 'Ant' due to his small size. Also, short for Anthony.

[edit] Complete Formula One Results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	Team	WDC	Points
2002	Minardi	AUS	MAL	BRA	SMR	ESP	AUT	MON	CAN	EUR	GBR	FRA	GER	HUN Ret	BEL Ret	ITA	USA	JPN			Minardi	NC	0
2004	BAR	AUS TD	MAL TD	BAH TD	SMR TD	ESP TD	MON TD	EUR TD	CAN TD	USA TD	FRA TD	GBR TD	GER TD	HUN TD	BEL TD	ITA TD	CHN TD	JPN TD	BRA TD		BAR	-	-
2005	BAR	AUS	MAL Ret	BAH	SMR	ESP	MON	EUR	CAN	USA	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	TUR	ITA	BEL	BRA	JPN	CHN	BAR	NC	0
2006	Honda	BAH TD	MAL TD	AUS TD	SMR TD	EUR TD	ESP TD	MON TD	GBR TD	CAN TD	USA TD	FRA TD	GER TD	HUN TD	TUR TD	ITA TD	CHN TD	JPN TD	BRA TD		Honda	-	-

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Who's Who: Anthony Davidson. F1Fanatic.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-13.
2. ^ "Davidson confirmed at Super Aguri", Grandprix.com, 2006-11-15. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.

[edit] External links

• The official website for Anthony Davidson
• Anthony Davidson profile and statistics
• Career statistics pre F1 and F1 career
• Some of Ant's dad's contributions to a debate at a discussion forum
• The Anthony Davidson Fan Site
• F1Fanatic Who's Who: Anthony Davidson

Constructors and drivers competing in the 2007 Formula One championship
McLaren	Renault	Ferrari	Honda	BMW	Toyota
1 Alonso 2 Hamilton	3 Fisichella 4 Kovalainen	5 Massa 6 Räikkönen	7 Button 8 Barrichello	9 Heidfeld 10 Kubica	11 Schumacher 12 Trulli
Red Bull	Williams	Toro Rosso	Spyker	Super Aguri
14 Coulthard 15 Webber	16 Rosberg 17 Wurz	18 Liuzzi 19 Speed	20 Albers 21 ?	22 Sato 23 Davidson