Two-day session at Hungaroring following Hungarian GP
Friday 4 August 2017 16:03, UK
Hungary will play host to Formula 1's second in-season test of 2017 next week and the teams are revealing who will be their drivers at the Hungaroring.
The test takes place on Tuesday August 1 and Wednesday August 2, with the teams staying on following this weekend's Hungarian GP, which is exclusively live on Sky Sports.
FIA rules dictate each team must give two of the four days of in-season testing over to drivers who have competed in no more than two Grands Prix, so a number of young drivers are set to be in action at the Hungaroring.
Briton George Russell will be driving for Mercedes on both days, the world champions having used race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas at the first in-season test in Bahrain back in April.
The 19-year-old joined Mercedes' junior programme at the start of the year and has done significant simulator work with the team, as well as competing in GP3 this season. He first tested for Mercedes in 2015.
"I'm just so excited to be testing the W08," Russell said. "I've probably driven more virtual laps than anyone else with this car so it's going to be incredible to drive it in reality!"
Robert Kubica will also step up his remarkable recovery to F1 after being confirmed as one of Renault's drivers for the event.
The Pole, who suffered career-changing injuries in a rally crash in 2011, will drive on the Wednesday with DAMS Formula 2 driver Nicholas Latifi in the RS17 on the first day.
"The upcoming session with the RS17 at the Hungaroring will allow us all to obtain detailed and precise data in a current car and representative conditions," said Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul.
"After this test, we will carefully analyse the collected information to determine in what conditions it would be possible for Robert to return to competition in the upcoming years."
McLaren have announced that Stoffel Vandoorne will once again be testing for them in Hungary having also taken part in the Bahrain test.
The Belgian will be in the MCL32 on Tuesday, with 17-year-old Briton Lando Norris taking the reins on Wednesday. Norris, who joined McLaren's young driver programme at the start of the year, is currently third in the European Formula 3 Championship.
GP2 champion Pierre Gasly, currently driving in Super Formula, will make his testing return for Red Bull on the Wednesday, with Max Verstappen taking the wheel on the first day of action.
Force India have announced Russian Formula 3 driver Nikita Mazepin and Austrian DTM racer Lucas Auer will be sharing driving duties on both days.
Mazepin tested for the team at Silverstone last year but this will be Auer's first experience of a Formula 1 car.
Formula 2 driver Luca Ghiotto will make his F1 debut after being confirmed as one of Williams' two drivers for the test, alongside Lance Stroll, who is filling in for the unwell Felipe Massa.
The 22-year-old Italian has finished all but one of this year's races in the top 10, including three podiums, and sits fifth in the Formula 2 championship.
"A big thanks to Williams for this opportunity. I think the first F1 test for any driver is a special moment, and to do it with such an historic team is even better so I'm really excited," Ghiotto said.
Haas will have 19-year-old Santino Ferrucci driving for them on both days after the team used both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen in the Bahrain test.
Sauber will have Japanese driver Nobuharu Matsushita in the car alongside Gustav Malja. Both drivers are currently competing in Formula 2.
Ferrari have got current Formula 2 championship leader Charles Leclerc in the SF70H on the opening day before the 19-year-old hands over duties to race drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen on Wednesday.
Leclerc is part of the Scuderia's young driver programme and took part in a similar test at Silverstone last year, while he also drove in four Friday practice sessions for Haas in 2016.
Formula 2 driver Sean Gelael is in the Toro Rosso on Tuesday before Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat share driving duties on Wednesday.
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