26/10/2005
NEWS STORY
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No time was wasted when it was claimed that Lebanese A1 GP driver, Khalil Beschir, had signed to drive for the mystery 11th F1 team in 2006, referred to in the original press release as the Honda B Team.
Following a press release issued on Tuesday evening, in which it was claimed that Beschir would join the new team as test driver, a quick rebuttal was issued on Wednesday morning.
The original press release read: "Khalil Beschir, the 23 years old A1GP driver for Team Lebanon is on his way to sign a 3 years contract with the potential 11th Formula 1 team in 2006, Honda B-Team.
Beschir who made lot of impressions in the European F3000 championship this year and on the inaugural A1GP race in Brand Hatch last month after a spectacular rolling crash while he was running in a strong 7th position, will be one of the test drivers of the new Honda team to support Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato who will be the official drivers said a dismayed (sic) Honda source.
Beschir's manager who has strong relationship with BAR and its team manager Del Ferran after managing him in his career, is trying to get a special testing program for his young driver alongside his two A1GP seasons to let him be ready to fight on the 2007 Formula 1 Grid, knowing that Beschir racing experience is only 11 races before his debut in the A1GP series this year.
So Khalil Beschir is now on his way to be the first ever Lebanese and Arabian driver in Formula 1."
The denial reads: "With regard to Khalil Beschir and Formula 1, please accept this memo as confirmation that there is absolutely no truth in this story whatsoever. Khalil Beschir has a multi-year contract to drive with the A1 Team Lebanon and this will be the future focus of his career.
Khalil Beschir does however aspire to be the first ever Lebanese and Arabian driver in Formula 1.
The management team of Team Lebanon have been informed of this email and wish it to be known that this reflects the true situation of driver Khalil Beschir."
Sato and Beschir in the same team... imagine it!