Sergey Sirotkin admits his test with Williams next week in Abu Dhabi could be a seminal moment in his career.
The Russian is currently Renault's reserve driver and has taken part in four FP1 sessions with the team this year but will join Williams' line-up for the two-day post-race Pirelli test along with Robert Kubica and Lance Stroll.
The Grove-based outfit has yet to announce the identity of the Canadian's 2018 team mate, with Kubica the current front-runner for the coveted seat, but Sirotkin could be a dark horse choice.
Asked by Motorsport.com if the test should be considered the biggest opportunity in his career, Sirotkin said: "In the year? Yeah, I'd say so."
"We'll see how it goes – then we'll know. Maybe it will be.
"First and foremost, this is a tyre test. There won't be so much time during the two days, so I must make the most of it.
"I think everyone understands very well that we're not doing this just because I want to relax in Abu Dhabi on Monday, drive around on Wednesday and go home – but instead with an understood, firm, clearly defined goal in mind.
"I am certain this is how the team is approaching it as well. So... I won't say more, but I think that already it's possible to take some conclusions.
"Firstly, I have to do well in the test, and then talk about whatever else."
Sirotkin will pound around Yas Marina for almost the entire day next Wednesday in Williams FW40.
"It's a fair bit of mileage and a sizeable number of tyre sets – of different compounds – with both short runs and long runs planned," he said.
"But the programme, as you know, isn't set by the team but by the tyre supplier, because it's their test – so it'll be what it'll be.
"Is that sufficient or not? Hard to tell. I think that, if something is not enough, everybody would understand. So this doesn't change my task – I'll do the most of what I can do."
Sirotkin moved up to the role of reserve driver at Renault after a strong year in GP2 in 2016, when he finished third in the championship behind Pierre Gasly and Antonio Giovinazzi.
The 22-year-old is backed by SMP Racing, founded by Russian billionaires Boris and Arkady Rotenberg.
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