GP2 Series champion Jolyon Palmer will be a test driver for Force India in Abu Dhabi next week.
The 23-year-old has already wrapped up this year’s GP2 title, which is often seen as a stepping stone to driving in Formula One, becoming the second British driver to do so after Lewis Hamilton first achieved the feat in 2006.
Previous winners of the GP2 Series include Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg (2005) and current Lotus duo Pastor Maldonado (2010) and Romain Grosjean (2011).
Palmer, son of former F1 driver Jonathan, will be hoping to make an impression at Force India when he links up with the marque for a full day in the car next Tuesday.
“Sahara Force India has shown their faith in me by offering this opportunity and I am looking forward to repaying their trust in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“I have worked very hard for a chance like this and I want to help the team get the most from this test session. This is a team that has always promoted talent and I hope this opportunity can lead to bigger things in the future.”
Australia’s Spike Goddard will join the team on the final day of testing next Wednesday. The 23-year-old won the British Formula Three Rookie Class in his debut season in 2012.
Dr Vijay Mallya, team principal and managing director of Force India, said: “I have been following Jolyon’s progress this season in GP2 and he is clearly a big talent that deserves a chance in F1.”
