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Pizzonia will compete for Williams


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LONDON, England -- Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, dumped by Jaguar last year, will make his Formula One comeback with Williams at next week's German Grand Prix.

The decision by the team on Friday gives Williams an all-South American lineup for Hockenheim with 23-year-old Pizzonia partnering Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

Pizzonia takes over from Spaniard Marc Gene, the official reserve driver, who has failed to make much of an impression in two starts since Ralf Schumacher was hurt in a crash at the U.S. Grand Prix.

"I am very happy to have been given this opportunity by Williams and I will do my very best to assist the team in scoring some points," said the Brazilian in a statement of what will be his first race for the BMW-powered team.

"My total concentration is now on the forthcoming race weekend and I have a clear plan prior to Hockenheim."

Pizzonia was the fastest driver in testing at Jerez on Thursday and Williams have kept faith in him despite his traumatic rookie season with Jaguar.

The driver from Manaus -- nicknamed 'Jungle Boy' -- joined Jaguar with a reputation as an extremely quick, if occasionally wild, racer but he failed to translate that speed into any points on the track.

RACE FORM

Pizzonia was replaced by Briton Justin Wilson before the 2003 German Grand Prix and did not race at Hockenheim, BMW's home race.

Frank Williams said before the start of the season that he had no doubt Pizzonia remained very quick but questioned the Brazilian's race form.

"One worries about what happened to him last year and in his Formula 3000 season before that," he said.

The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim is the 12th round of the season and last race before a three-week summer break. Ralf Schumacher is hoping to return in Hungary on August 15 if doctors give him the go-ahead.

Williams are looking for two new drivers for 2005 with Schumacher joining Toyota and Montoya moving to McLaren.

The team are fourth in the championship after three disappointing races and desperately need strong scoring finishes to prevent resurgent McLaren overtaking them. Their last win was at Hockenheim in August 2003.

Meanwhile, Max Mosley, who announced at the beginning of the month he would be stepping down as FIA president in October, has had a change of heart and will stay in office at least until October 2005.

The International Automobile Federation said in a statement that the FIA Senate, consisting of eight of its most senior members, had met in London on Friday after calling on Mosley to stay in office at least until the end of his mandate in October next year.

The statement said that Mosley had told the Senate he had received approaches from all sections of FIA, motor racing's ruling body, and felt "bound to accede to the Senate's request."

It added: "He expressed his thanks for the confidence shown in him by both the Senate and the full membership of the FIA."

Mosley said: "I am staying. Everybody said you have got to stay. It got to the stage where it would have been wrong for the FIA.

"What they were saying is that you can't do something like that with so little notice. They need more time."

Mosley would not confirm whether he would stand for re-election after October 2005. "We will worry about that later," he added.


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