Mercedes-Benz motorsport president Norbert Haug has said that Force India may run Mercedes-backed drivers in the future. The German told Indian newspaper DNA India that the Force India team, whose technical collaboration with McLaren-Mercedes started for this year, could be used as a testing ground for young talent.
“This could mutually be developed as an option for the future,’ said the Mercedes man.
Haug added that the Force India driver line-up of Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella for 2009 was secure, however. The Indian team, which unveils its new car on Sunday, is known to have benefited from McLaren’s KERS technology after collaboration between the two was announced for the upcoming season. Haug said concentration on the technical rapport was paramount at this point in the relationship.
‘For now we prefer to make one step at a time,” he said.
Mercedes-backed drivers who might stand to benefit from the arrangement would be Paul di Resta or Gary Paffett, who both have tested for the McLaren squad. Current McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa might be thought too old – at 39 – to be considered for a seat.
