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Sutil to test Force India in Barcelona

ESPN Staff
February 18, 2013 « Live Barcelona testing | Williams launches final 2013 car »
Adrian Sutil will return to the cockpit of a Force India this week © Sutton Images
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Adrian Sutil will test for Force India in Barcelona this week as he vies for the remaining seat on the 2013 grid with Jules Bianchi.

Confirmed race driver Paul di Resta will test for the first two days on Tuesday and Wednesday before Sutil gets his chance on Thursday and test driver Bianchi returns to the cockpit on Friday. Both Sutil and Bianchi are in the running for the second Force India drive, with the team yet to confirm di Resta's team-mate just one month ahead of the opening round in Australia.

Sutil went to Force India's factory last week for a seat fitting in the new car and is familiar with the Silverstone-based squad after driving for it between 2007 and 2011. He lost his seat to Nico Hulkenberg in 2012, but Hulkenberg left for Sauber over the winter leaving a vacancy for the team to fill.

A Force India spokesperson has denied this week's test is a direct shootout between the two, but early this month deputy team principal Bob Fernley said both drivers are in the running for the race drive.

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