Dennis named for Red Bull F1 Spain test alongside Verstappen

Jake Dennis will make a surprise Formula 1 debut for Red Bull at the first in-season test at Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday with Max Verstappen on testing duties on Tuesday.

Dennis has ties to Red Bull as a simulator development driver supporting the team at its Milton Keynes base in between his current racing commitments with the F1 team’s title sponsor Aston Martin in the R-Motorsport-run squad in the Blancpain GT Series.

The 22-year-old, who has also contested the opening two races in the ADAC GT Masters this year, claimed the prestigious McLaren BRDC Award in 2012 and enjoyed a strong junior single-seater career highlighted by finishing in third place in the 2015 European Formula 3 championship.

Verstappen will commence testing for Red Bull at the Spanish circuit on Tuesday (May 15) before handing over to Dennis on the second day, while Red Bull has warned its programme might be altered depending on the weather at Circuit de Catalunya with unsettled conditions forecast.

Dennis become the latest British youngster at the Spain F1 test with Formula 2 race winner Jack Aitken on hand for Renault, Oliver Rowland driving for Williams and Lando Norris for McLaren.

Toro Rosso has confirmed Sean Gelael (Tuesday) and Pierre Gasly (Wednesday) for the Spain test, while Norris will spend two days in action for McLaren, one day for the official team and the other with the Pirelli tyre test car, splitting testing duties with Stoffel Vandoorne and Oliver Turvey.

Williams’ official young driver Rowland will also make his F1 test debut next week on Tuesday before handing over to Robert Kubica on day two. Force India has also confirmed it will run Nicholas Latifi and Nikita Mazepin at the Spain test.