Motor Racing: Senna's IndyCar trial run

AYRTON SENNA, the three-times Formula One world champion, is not planning to follow Nigel Mansell's example and drive on the IndyCar circuit, according to a spokesman for Roger Penske's racing team. The Brazilian drove an IndyCar for the first time in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday.

Senna drove the team's Chevrolet 1992 car at Firebird Motorsports Park as a guest of his compatriot and twice Formula One champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, a member of Penske's team.

'It is fun to drive. Its most impressive factor was its ability to go into the corner and the load stayed centered,' Senna said afterwards. 'The car was balanced and I could carry the speed through the corner.'

Senna was upset this season with the performance of the McLaren-Hondas driven by himself and Gerhard Berger on the Formula One circuit compared with the Williams-Renault cars driven by Mansell and Ricardo Patrese. McLaren is seeking a replacement for its engine-maker Honda, which withdrew from Formula One racing at the end of last season.

There have been rumors that Senna may switch to IndyCars, but Team Penske spokesman Dan Luginbuhl said that was not the motive behind Sunday's test drive. He said Senna was simply curious about the IndyCars and had never driven one.

Mansell, the reigning Formula One champion, makes his debut in IndyCar racing next season with the Newman-Haas Racing team.