Pascal Wehrlein to test for Force India?

[Jordan Adcock]

Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein may be driving Force India’s 2014 car for all four days of the upcoming Barcelona test starting on February 19th.

The reports come as neither of Force India’s two race drivers, Sergio Perez or Nico Hulkenberg, have yet been confirmed as running in the test, and amidst the Silverstone team’s continuing struggles to get their 2015 car ready.

As Mercedes also supplies Force India’s engines, it makes sense that the 20 year-old German would be allowed to test for a customer team, having already driven for Mercedes in the post-season Abu Dhabi test last year. Deputy Team Principal Bob Fernley told German news website F1-Insider simply: “Driving is a reserve driver.”

 

[R.J. O'Connell]

I really hope this role, if confirmed, works out better than it did for Calado and Juncadella. Wehrlein is clearly a lot more comfortable in single-seaters than he's been in DTM from what I've seen of him, which seems to be a running theme among ex-Formula 1 prospects headed to the series.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Glad to know Force India don't have financial trouble. But if they had, this could pay a few engines this season.
But they have not. So I wonder why Wehrlein was chosen?

 

[R.J. O'Connell]

Never hurts to have a little extra financial stability in this sport, plus Mercedes-Benz gets additional feedback from one of its prized young prospects.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Mercedes get one of their prospects some more experience, in return for some financial relief for F.I

Makes sense

 

[Philip Heck]

On top of that I don't think it would do Nico and Sergio that much good to test the old car.