Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais is to test for Toro Rosso at Jerez de la Frontera this week, despite declaring earlier this year that his chances of an F1 drive were minimal. Toro Rosso have yet to confirm 2006 incumbents Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed, and team boss Gerhard Berger is thought to be less than impressed with his two young drivers.

Red Bull Racing third driver Robert Doornbos, who replaced Christian Klien at RBR for the last three races of 2006, was considered to be the favourite to replace one of the STR drivers, most probably Speed, and so Bourdais’ test comes as a surprise.

Jenson Button will not be driving in Jerez, although he will be attending the test. According to Honda, the karting injury that kept him out of the cockpit for the first two winter tests has not healed sufficiently to risk another possible impact and so Button will not drive an F1 car again before January.

Injuries seem to be a common theme at the moment, as Nascar driver Jimmie Johnson has pulled out of next weekend’s Race of Champions in Paris after breaking his wrist in a golf cart accident. It’s not yet clear who will replace Johnson.

Team Netherlands is protesting Jeroen Bleekemolen’s disqualification from this weekend’s A1GP round at Sentul. Bleekemolen worked his way up to fifth at the flag in atrocious conditions but was disqualified following the race for taking his mandatory pit stop one lap too late.