Celis to debut new Force India in Spain

Force India’s development driver Alfonso Celis will have the honour of giving the team’s 2016 car its first track outing in Barcelona testing next week.

Celis, 19, will get two days in the VJM09 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, driving on Monday and Thursday.

The Mexican, who first tested F1 machinery with Force India at last year’s post-race Abu Dhabi session, will share driving duties over the four days with race drivers Sergio Perez (Tuesday) and Nico Hulkenberg (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, the second of this year’s pre-season tests - also in Barcelona - on March 1-4 will see Hulkenberg driving on day one and day three, with Perez in the cockpit on day two and day four.

Celis, who will take part in seven Friday practice sessions for Force India this year, spent the 2015 season competing in Formula Renault 3.5 and in GP3, scoring his first podium in the latter at Spa-Francorchamps in August.