Young Drivers' Test gets underway at Silverstone - MotorSportsTalk

The Young Drivers’ Test has begun at a warm and sunny Silverstone. Over the course of the next three days 31 different drivers will be in action.

Ten teams are participating in the test after Mercedes were banned from participating by the FIA International Tribunal.

Red Bull and Lotus originally planned to run Mark Webber and Kimi Raikkonen respectively during the test but decided not to after an FIA clarification informed them of limits on the running race drivers could do.

Here’s who will be appearing at the test for each of the teams plus notes on each of the young drivers:

Red Bull

Antonio Felix da Costa – Starred in Formula Renault 3.5 last year
Carlos Sainz Jnr – Son of the two-time World Rally Champion
Daniel Ricciardo
Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari

Davide Rigon – GT driver whose single-seater career was interrupted by a broken leg in 2011
Felipe Massa

McLaren

Kevin Magnussen – Son of ex-F1 driver Jan Magnussen, impressing in Formula Renault 3.5
Oliver Turvey – McLaren test driver
Gary Paffett – McLaren test driver

Lotus

Nicolas Prost – Son of four-times F1 champion Alain Prost, last major single-seater race was five years ago
Davide Valsecchi – Reigning GP2 champion

Sauber

Robin Frijns – Reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion
Kimiya Sato – Third in German F3 last year, not related to the IndyCar driver
Nico Hulkenberg

Force India

James Calado – Fifth in GP2 last year and top rookie
Adrian Sutil
Paul di Resta

Williams

Daniel Juncadella – Reigning European F3 champion, now drives for Mercedes in the DTM
Susie Wolff – Williams test driver last raced a single-seater in 2005
Pastor Maldonado

Toro Rosso

Johnny Cecotto Jnr – Son of ex-F1 and motorbike racer
Daniil Kvyat – Reigning Formula Renault 2.0 Alps champion currently racing in GP3 and F3
Carlos Sainz Jnr
Daniel Ricciardo
Jean-Eric Vergne

Caterham

Alexander Rossi – American driver currently racing in GP2
Will Stevens – Caterham’s newest recruit is fourth in Formula Renault 3.5
Charles Pic
Giedo van der Garde

Marussia

Tio Ellinas – Currently leading GP3
Rodolfo Gonzalez – Raced in GP2 until last year, scoring few points
Max Chilton
Jules Bianchi

ANAHEIM, California – Ken Roczen will make the move from HRC Honda to H.E.P. Motorsports with the Progressive Ecstar Suzuki team, ending a long and eventful offseason that saw his split from his longstanding team after he committed to running World Supercross (WSX).

“H.E.P. Motorsports is thrilled to announce that the team has signed Ken Roczen as its premier rider for the 2023 season,” the team announced on Instagram. “Former AMA Motocross champion Roczen will be aboard a Suzuki RM-Z450. Roczen, who won his most recent championship on a Suzuki, will be reunited with the brand and bring his exciting style, determination, and grit back to the RM Army.

“Ken Roczen will compete in the upcoming 2023 Supercross and Motocross Championship series which is set to start on January 7 at Anaheim Stadium in Southern California.”

For Roczen, it is a return to the bike of his youth and on which he had some of his greatest professional success.

“This thing has been going on for weeks and weeks and weeks in the making, but there was so much uncertainty,” Roczen told NBC Sports during Monster Energy Supercross Media Sessions. “It was a very unique situation. I just finally signed two nights ago, so it’s really only legit once the ink hits the paper. It’s been in the works for a long time, but there were just a lot of questions and a lot of input from a lot of other teams too.

“Good things take time, and I’m okay with that. I grew up riding Suzuki. Ot’s like a homecoming. It’s a special feeling”

Roczen won the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on a Suzuki before making the move to Honda. That year he won nine of 12 Nationals and finished no worse than second as he easily outpaced Eli Tomac by 86 points. He finished third in his next Pro Motocross outing in 2018 after sitting out the outdoor season in 2017.

“I am beyond excited to reconnect with Suzuki for the 3rd time in my career. We’ve had a lot of success in the past and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together in our future.” Roczen said in the Instagram post.

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Young Drivers’ Test gets underway at Silverstone

Ken Roczen signs with HEP Progressive Ecstar Suzuki for 2023

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