Valsecchi, Kral and Maldonado to test for HRT F1

Hispania Racing is going to give three talented drivers the opportunity to drive during the Young Drivers Test in Abu Dhabi: Pastor Maldonado, Josef Král and Davide Valsecchi.

On Tuesday, GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado will be in the cockpit of the HRT F110 and will do his first laps in a Formula 1 car in 2010 after having tested for Minardi F1 Team in Misano in 2004. GP2 drivers Josef Král and Davide Valsecchi will take over testing duties on the second and last day of the test.

Pastor Maldonado was already announced after the Brazilian Grand Prix to run for the Spanish team at the Young Drivers and Pirelli Tests. The 25 year old driver competed in the Formula Renault Championship and won the Italian title in 2004 and followed that up with a year in the Italian F3000 Championship before moving on to Formula Renault 3.5 Series where he classified third. Between 2007 and 2010 he raced in GP2 Series. The biggest success of his career is with no doubt to have won the GP2 Series Championship in 2010 prematurely, in Monza.

20 year old Josef Král was born in the Czech Republic. He competed in Formula BMW, where he ended up second in 2007, as well as the International Formula Masters (2008-2009) and the GP2 Asia and GP2 Series (2009-2010) with Super Nova. After having a serious crash at the sprint race in Valencia, Král sustained two fractured vertebrae and had to stop racing until the end of the season in Abu Dhabi, where he showed a very strong comeback and now he is getting his first opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car.

Italian Davide Valsecchi (23 years old) started in Italian Formula Renault and Formula Renault World Series between 2003 and 2007. Then he competed for different teams in GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series. Valsecchi won the sprint race in Abu Dhabi and was champion of GP2 Asia in 2010.

Dr. Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “We have followed Josef Král’s career for many years and we are always in search of young and talented drivers. After Josef’s accident in Valencia, he had a great comeback in Abu Dhabi and we have high hopes in his performance. Davide Valsecchi is one of the young and talented drivers and he is the current GP2 Asia Champion. We are looking forward to see his development in a Formula 1 car and we are happy to give Davide and Josef the opportunity to drive in a Formula 1 car. Having two GP2 champions like Pastor Maldonado and Davide Valsecchi in our car makes us very proud.”

Josef Král: “A dream is coming true for me with driving a Formula 1 car on Wednesday as part of the Young Driver Test 2010. I always wanted to be in a F1 car when I started karting at the age of eight. To test with Hispania Racing in Abu Dhabi is another big step for me. After my big crash in Valencia this year, I had to take a break for about four months and I was very happy when I was back in a race car at the last event of the GP2 Series. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to do my first laps in a Formula 1 car and I am really excited.”

Davide Valsecchi: “It is going to be my first time in a Formula 1 car and it is a great honor for me. I want to thank Hispania Racing for giving me the opportunity to be part of it. I have already met the team and I felt comfortable there immediately. My aim for the test on Wednesday is to do a good job and to show a good performance. I am really looking forward to getting some experience in the F1 car and I can’t wait to sit in the cockpit. It is going to be another highlight for me after winning the GP2 Asia Championship.”

Rookie Days line-up: