NEWS // FORCE INDIA ANNOUNCES TEST DRIVER LINEUP

In a statement relased today the Force India Formula One Team confirmed that they will be evaluating British driver Paul Di Resta and American JR Hildebrand (above) at the upcoming young driver test at Jerez, Spain next week.

23 year old Paul, who for the past two years has been a Mercedes driver in the DTM and current Indy Lights champion Hildebrand will share the driving duties at the Spanish circuit after impressing the team with their work in the simulator last month... [read more]

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal of Force India, commented, 'We are delighted to have Paul and JR join us for the young driver test. Both of their showings in the simulator were excellent and we had no hesitations in offering them some valuable testing. We will be looking at their performance on track very closely and should they perform well, as we are confident they will, we will look at a permanent role for one within the team in 2010, potentially as a test and reserve driver. As a young team we are looking for drivers who can grow with us. As we've always said, nationality isn't the primary selection criteria - it's talent and dedication to the cause and we have seen enough to know that these two have both.'

Paul di Resta (above) added, 'I am thrilled to be joining Force India for this test. It's been a while since I last tested an F1 car but I've been working hard in the simulator and giving it my all in the DTM so I'm confident I'll be up to speed quickly. It's an exciting opportunity for me as F1 has always been my dream and I feel this is taking me one step closer to achieving it. I'm realistic that I've got a lot to prove and that I need a bit more experience of the cars and the F1 environment before getting a permanent seat but this is just the beginning of what I hope will be a very bright future with Force India. I'd like to thank Mercedes for giving me this opportunity and to Force India for being so supportive.'

JR Hildebrand (Below) said, 'I'm ecstatic to get my first taste of F1. I've heard so much about the performance of the cars and know this is going to be quicker and more responsive than anything I've ever sat in before. I know it's a big challenge but I feel ready to tackle it. The aim is to learn the track and the car and then hopefully show my potential. As an American we don't necessarily have the culture of F1 but anything that's so impressive and cutting-edge demands respect. I hope I can do the car and myself justice. Thanks to everyone for making this happen, I can't wait to get to Jerez.'

Photo/Editorial: Neil Tozer