Motorsport: Red Bull want Klien

Red Bull have asked other Formula One teams to allow them to use Austrian Christian Klien as a third driver despite the fact that he is not eligible under current rules.

"We are asking the other teams to see whether it could be an option," a team spokeswoman said on Monday. "There has been no outcome yet."

The third car role was filled in the first three grands prix of the season by Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi, who has now taken Klien's place as a race driver for the next three races starting with San Marino on April 24.

Briton David Coulthard is the other race driver.

The swap has left Klien, who drove for Jaguar last year, without a role because Friday third car drivers are not allowed to have competed in more than six grands prix in the previous two years.

The rule was designed to assist young drivers gain experience of grand prix conditions.

All but the top four teams in the 2004 championship are allowed third cars for Friday practice but only McLaren, Red Bull, Toyota and Jordan have run them so far this year.

While Klien is ineligible at the age of 22, McLaren's Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa and Austrian Alex Wurz have been able to take the Friday slot this year despite the former being 34 and the latter 31.

Should the teams reject Red Bull's approach, American Scott Speed or Swiss Neel Jani could be in the frame.

Both men are sponsored by Red Bull and tested for the Austrian-owned team in Spain last month. They will also be at the grands prix anyway as drivers in the new GP2 support series which has replaced Formula 3000.

- REUTERS