Red carpet awaits Legge

Legge, who made history in November while testing Minardi’s F1 swan song in Italy, would thus aim to broaden her team’s driver line-up that has Robbie Kerr and Alex Lloyd doing duty. Her test would serve as a shakedown of a new car and engine prior to the race proper. Katherine’s opportunity comes courtesy John Surtees, Team Great Britain’s team manager, who had introduced Davina Galica, Lella Lombardi and South African Desire Wilson in F1 cars.

‘‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to gain experience and represent my country. I’m grateful to John and the Arden team for the chance,’’ Katherine has said on her personal website.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Katherine was one of the drivers on Great Britian’s list that they could not test before the season and was being given the chance taking opportunity of the extra ‘practice’ sessions in Dubai to assess her in the car.

Back in in November Katherine became the first since Sarah Fisher’s demonstration laps in a McLaren-Mercedes at Indianapolis 2001, to pilot a Formula 1 car.

While inexperience did her in on Day One of her Minardi test — cold conditions made her spin off track and brush the wall — Day Two was satisfactory. The Northamptonshire lass is enthusiastic about her trip to the Middle East and comparing how A1, Champ Car and F1 cars do. Incidentally, Katherine has had a successfull rookie season in Toyota Atlantic of the Champ Car series this year.

A place on the Great Britan team in future would not only make history, but she would also go on to emulate her peers, Davina — the first Britisher to drive in a Grand Prix a quarter of a century ago.