Manager and friends finance Wilson's drive with Minardi

Britain will have a confirmed third entrant in the 2003 Formula One World Championship when Minardi make a driver announcement at London's Heathrow Airport today. Justin Wilson, the 2001 International Formula 3000 champion, has found the financial backing to book his place with grand prix racing's smallest team.

Anthony Davidson, who had two races with the Anglo-Italian concern last season, also tried to land a full-time drive. But he admitted last night that he had been unable to come up with the $5m (£3.1m) funding.

Wilson had been Minardi's original choice as stand-in for the struggling Alex Yoong during the summer but, at 6ft 3in, was too tall for the 2002 car. The diminutive Davidson joined but spun out of both races.

Paul Stoddart, the Minardi team principal, made it clear he was still interested in Wilson and would be prepared to build the 2003 car big enough for the Englishman. However, the team needed a driver able to contribute to the team's limited budget. Wilson's manager, the former grand prix driver, Jonathan Palmer, and family responded to the challenge to put together a package and, with it, the passport to Formula One.

Despite the tag of "paying driver'', Wilson, 24, is acknowledged as a genuine prospect. He won the Formula 3000 title by a distance from Australia's Mark Webber, who drove for Minardi last season and convinced Jaguar he was good enough to sign up for next year.

Wilson hoped to join Jordan for 2002 but, although he had an impressive test, he lost out to the Honda-supported Japanese driver, Takuma Sato. The man from Sheffield was left to kick his heels in the Spain-based Dallara Nissan series.

He has explored options in American single-seater racing and it seemed he might have to cross the Atlantic to pursue his career.