Zonta has joined the growing list of F1 drivers to take a year out of racing. Olivier Panis and Luca Badoer started the trend last season and Alexander Wurz, Zonta and now Marc Gene have followed in their footsteps.
Panis has seen his stature in the sport rocket during his year testing for McLaren, ironically replacing Zonta at BAR for 2001. Zonta is hoping to get a similar chance at racing with Jordan if, as widely rumoured, Jarno Trulli moves to Benetton for 2002.

Zonta said: “I’ve thought a lot about next year and going to Jordan as a test driver. It is definitely the right decision for me because another season at the back of the grid, which is where my options for a race seat were heading, would have been bad and no good for my motivation.
“It’s a bit annoying not to be racing because I would have liked to have had the chance to show how I can improve. “But I want to be in a good car and, if I show my potential, it could be with Jordan in 2002.”