Tony Fernandes: Team Lotus to give test drives to Luiz Razia and Davide Valsecchi
The AirAsia GP2 drivers Luiz Razia and Davide Valsecchi are currently driving for Tony Fernandes' AirAsia GP2 team. However, they will be having their first Formula One test drive with their parent team Lotus at Barcelona. Team Lotus which was formerly known
as Lotus Racing is to enter its second Formula One season in the upcoming 2011 season.
On day one of the final winter test, they will be sharing the Lotus T128 for the morning session. Meanwhile, Jarno Trulli will be taking over from them, at lunchtime.
According to Lotus Valsecchi and Razia could be getting a chance to do some mileage in Friday practice sessions at the grands prix at the end of this year provided they make an ample impression in GP2.
“We haven't confirmed who they will be yet but they will have the chance to both race in GP2 and bridge the gap to F1 by acting as test and reserve drivers for the F1 team,” a Team Lotus spokesperson explained.
Both drivers already possess some experience at F1 testing. Where Valsecchi made his F1 testing debut with Hispania, Razia was Virgin's official test driver in the previous year. Razia also drove for the team in the Abu Dhabi young driver sessions. Apart
from the two drivers, Lotus has also given some mileage to Ricardo Teixeira, the Formula 2 driver, during the winter
testing.
Another team to run a non-race driver at Barcelona this week is Force India. Force India will be giving its reserve Nico Hulkenberg his first chanceto drive the 2011 car in the morning tomorrow. Althogh Hulkenberg had had the chance to drive the 2010 Force
India at Valencia this year, but has yet to try their car for 2011. He will be on the wheels in Friday practice sessions this season.
A number of other teams are also giving out mileage equally between their races drivers at Barcelona this week. Except for Jerome D'Ambrosio of Virgin Racing who has the car to himself since Timo Glock recovers from his appendix surgery, the rest are sharing
their drives.
HRT is the only team left to reveal its driver line-up for the test this week, which would be seeing the debut of its new 2011 F1.
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