The Honda Racing F1 Team today announced its test driver line-up for the 2007 Formula One season. Joining race drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will be Christian Klien in the role of Test and Reserve Driver, while James Rossiter steps up to the role of an official test driver.
Christian has raced in 46 Grands Prix in the three seasons since his F1 debut at the 2004 Australian Grand Prix, prior to which he worked his way up through the ranks of karting, Formula BMW, Formula Renault and the Formula 3 Euroseries.
Christian assumes the lead testing role from Anthony Davidson, who has secured a race seat with the Super Aguri F1 Team next season. The Austrian will join the Honda Racing F1 Team when winter testing gets underway from the end of November. In addition to his regular testing duties, Christian will attend Grands Prix with the team and will be on stand-by if required to substitute for either race driver in a Grand Prix at short notice.
Sporting Director Gil de Ferran comments, “I would like to welcome Christian to the Honda Racing F1 Team as he takes up his new role as our Test and Reserve Driver. Christian has accumulated a great deal of experience in Formula One over the past three years and this should prove extremely valuable to us given the limitations placed on teams by the new testing regulations. We expect Christian to play an important role in the development of the RA107 and we look forward to working very closely with him in the winter, together with James who steps up to be an official test driver for us.
Klein, in turn, had this to say: “I am very proud to be joining the Honda Racing F1 Team. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to work with one of the top manufacturers in Formula One and alongside two of the best race drivers. I have three years of F1 experience to contribute and I am looking forward to helping Honda to achieve its ambitions. Equally, I have a great opportunity to progress my own career. I am very much looking forward to driving the car for the first time when winter testing begins.”
DailyF1News.com
