Friday 2 May at 12:39 : Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late and great triple world champion Ayrton Senna, wants to step up to formula one in 2009.

The 24-year-old has just begun his second season in the main GP2 series, and in Barcelona he turned fourth on the grid into second in the Saturday race.

He was then fourth in Sunday's sprint race, leaving him now equal on points with the championship leader Alvaro Parente.

"This is obviously the most important year in my career until now. It is now or never," he told the Irish Sun.

"If I can be (GP2) champion, I can have the opportunity to be in formula one next season," Senna added.

Bruno Senna's famous uncle was killed in the 1994 San Marino grand prix at Imola exactly fourteen years ago this week.

Despite fighting through a lengthy family ban on his racing career, Bruno insists that he is not scared of following in the fateful footsteps of Ayrton senna.

"The cars cannot be compared with those of fourteen years ago," he said, albeit admitting that his mother Viviane Senna - Ayrton's sister - is still wary of his choice of career.

Bruno Senna also told F1's official website: "I want to be in F1 in 2009 or 2010. I am fast enough, and this season I want to prove this."