Team Lotus has announced that Davide Valsecchi will have a go in the team’s Renault-powered T128 in the first practice session for this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
The Italian – winner of the 2009-10 GP2 Asia Series crown – will take over Heikki Kovalainen’s car for the opening 90-minute free practice session at the Sepang circuit.
Valsecchi is the second of Team Lotus’ large list of reserve drivers to be given a turn behind the wheel at a Grand Prix, and rumours abounded that he was none too impressed at being sidelined at the eleventh hour in place of the team’s newly-signed reserve, Karun Chandhok, at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
However, Karun was perhaps a little too eager in warming up his tyres on his first out-lap of the session, crashing into the wall at Turn 3 and taking no further part in the session.
[Original image via Team Lotus]
Richard Bailey
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