Williams has confirmed Gary Paffett will test for them during the two-day session in Bahrain which starts tomorrow.
Paffett will drive the FW40 on Wednesday at the Bahrain International Circuit. Race drivers Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa will share driving duties on Tuesday with Stroll taking the morning session and Massa the afternoon running.
The 36-year-old drives for Mercedes in the DTM. His team mate Paul di Resta is Williams’ official reserve driver.
Teams are required to use at least two days of their in-season testing to run drivers who have not started more than two F1 races. The 36-year-old Paffett, who has extensive testing experience from his time with McLaren but has never started a race, meets this criteria. Di Resta, who raced in F1 with Force India between 2011 and 2013, does not.
McLaren will also use its test driver Oliver Turvey for one of the two days of this week’s test. The Formula E racer will have his first run in the MCL32 on Tuesday before handing over to Stoffel Vandoorne for the second day.
Red Bull’s junior driver Pierre Gasly will drive the RB13 on Wednesday while Daniel Ricciardo will do the first day of the test. Mercedes will run Lewis Hamilton on Tuesday and Valtteri Bottas on Wednesday.
Also at the two-day test Ferrari will conduct one day of 2018 tyre development for Pirelli.
This article will be updated.
2017 F1 season
- Sepang pays Haas compensation for Grosjean’s 2017 crash
- Williams revenues rose in 2017 after Bottas deal with Mercedes
- Australian Grand Prix cost government £56 million last year
- “Grand Prix Driver” takes you inside McLaren’s nightmare final year with Honda
- Undisputed champion: 10 titles name Hamilton top driver of 2017
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
17th April 2017, 11:46
Was reminded yesterday that Sean Gelael will test. Immediately furious again.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
17th April 2017, 11:53
@hahostolze if you didn’t wanna be furious you shouldn’t have watched ted’s notebook in the first place
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
17th April 2017, 12:02
Damn, you got me there haha
Kie
17th April 2017, 12:01
Give him a go
Strontium (@strontium)
17th April 2017, 13:36
Will Massa get any running? Time will tell
Mike (@grippgoat)
18th April 2017, 9:04
I was like “what? … Ohhhhhhhhhh”.
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
17th April 2017, 14:54
Should let Felix Rosenqvist have a go at the Mercedes. He’s more than capable.
Manox (@marussi)
17th April 2017, 20:32
Felix should have a go, replace Palmer, Kvyat, Massa or just take over Alonsos seat when he leaves mclaren.
Felix is really talented and i would switch Marcus with him anyday
Patrick (@paeschli)
18th April 2017, 7:40
I don’t really understand what Kvyat is doing on this list.
Miane
17th April 2017, 17:44
I wonder what will happen if this guy shows some really good times.
verstappen (@verstappen)
17th April 2017, 21:10
shame they’re using a very experienced tester for this test, however they have to get some good input…
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
18th April 2017, 8:27
I would have thought that it was a good idea to use an experienced tester. After all, if they have driven plenty of different cars they should know what to expect and how to make comparisons.
I have often thought the best role for a driver coming towards the end of his career would be to continue as test/development driver for his team, rather than letting all that experience go to waste.
Baron (@baron)
18th April 2017, 14:16
This is getting ridiculous and beyond even the worst kind of joke. Turvey has completed 0 laps as the PU failed on the installation lap! In all honesty, it might be better for McLaren to sit out a couple of Grand Prix so that Honda can nail these issues although judging by recent history, they have no idea what on earth they are doing.. I hear the sound of knives on oil-stones…