Calderon to make Formula 2 test debut with Charouz

Tatiana Calderon will make her Formula 2 test debut next week in Abu Dhabi with Charouz Racing System as the Colombian bids to secure a full-time seat for 2019.

Calderon has raced in the GP3 Series for the past three seasons, ending her most recent campaign with five consecutive points finishes, but is aiming to move up to F2 next season.

After completing two Formula 1 tests with Sauber in the past month as part of her development role with the team, Calderon will get her first taste of F2 in Abu Dhabi next week, taking part in the end-of-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit.

“I will be testing with Charouz, but I need to do a good job there to secure a seat and hopefully remain with Alfa Romeo Sauber,” Calderon confirmed to Crash.net in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s up to them to decide. Hopefully we can make it all work out.”

Calderon confirmed she will take part in at least one day of testing with Charouz, but is hopeful of adding a second day of running to her schedule.

“We’re trying to see if we can do two because it would make sense to do more than one day if you want to race,” Calderon said.

“At the moment, that’s the plan.”

Sauber recently announced it would be working with Charouz as its official junior team through F2, Formula 3 and Formula 4.

While it is yet to confirm whether Calderon will continue to work with the team next season, Sauber F1 boss Frederic Vasseur said he was impressed by her contributions and recent F1 tests.

“She did two good tests, the first one was more of a PR event in Mexico but the second one was a real test and she did really well,” Vasseur said.

“She is able to manage the situation on the physical side that probably in this case in F2 is more difficult without power steering but she did well. She is very calm, improving step-by-step and honestly, she is a very good test driver.

“She impressed everybody including the engineers with 25 years of experience at the team. Now we have to relax, she will do the test next week in Formula 2 and see what happens."