Sole F1 tyre supplier Pirelli has announced Brazil’s Lucas di Grassi as its official test driver. The ex Virgin Racing pilot has signed up to the Italian company and will be on-hand for all private Pirelli tests, using the white-painted 2009 Toyota chassis. Confirmed on Wednesday, di Grassi will be driving in at least five tests this year.
“A significant part of our tyre development stems from the feedback we receive from our test driver, so this is an absolutely crucial appointment,” explains Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s Director for Motorsport. “Lucas has impressed us not only with his pace, which is vital if we are going to accurately simulate racing conditions, but also his technical feedback to the engineers. I’m delighted to welcome Lucas into the team.”
Having already tested for Pirelli, Di Grassi has now been handed the full-time job of developing tyres for the 2012 season.
“Pirelli has done a fantastic job so far in a very short space of time and I’m looking forward to helping to make the PZero tyres even better in the future - not just for the drivers and teams but for the spectators as well,” says the 26-year-old from São Paulo.
“This is a great opportunity for me to get more time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car – which is difficult these days because of the current testing regulations – and also to use my knowledge to help make a real difference to the sport.”
Since confirming its F1 comeback for 2011, Pirelli’s list of test drivers has included Pedro de la Rosa, Nick Heidfeld and Romain Grosjean.
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