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McLaren to run test drivers at Mugello

ESPNF1 Staff
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Oliver Turvey drove at the Young Driver Test in 2011 alongside Gary Paffett © Sutton Images
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McLaren has announced that it will use its test drivers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey at the Mugello test next month.

As part of a new schedule this season, there were only three pre-season tests in Spain while in-season testing returns with a three-day test at Mugello from May 1-3. While some teams see the test as crucial to developing their cars further ahead of the start of the European season, McLaren has faith in its test drivers to do the job having started the season with the quickest car. The team announced the news on on Twitter:

"Our Mugello Test line-up: ever-popular testers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey will share the driving ... That means Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton won't be at Mugello - but our testers are fantastic and will love their first taste of MP4-27!"

Turvey actually has previous experience of the MP4-27 having shaken the car down in a straight-line test in Spain prior to the start of pre-season testing, while both he and Paffett took part in the Young Driver Test at Abu Dhabi using the 2011 car in November last year.

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