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.”