GT racer Jake Dennis gets Red Bull Barcelona test!

©RedBull

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing has announced that Blancpain GT Series racer Jake Dennis will join Max Verstappen for this week's F1 in-season test at Barcelona.

The 22-year-old British will run on Wednesday, the second day of the two-day test, having previously conducted simulator work for Red Bull at Milton Keynes.

"Jake is the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Simulator Development Driver," said Red Bull.

"He spends long hours at base in Milton Keynes driving our simulator, contributing behind the scenes to the general development of the car, while also supporting the race team with setup work.

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"Jake’s test with the RB14 will provide useful correlation for his work in the simulator," stated the team's press release.

"Both drivers have busy programmes during the test as the team seeks to further the development of the car.

"With unsettled weather heading to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Max and Jake’s schedules may be switched around to get the most out of the time available."

A recipient in 2012 of the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, Jake Dennis won the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC title that year, an achievement that elevated him to Formula 3.

The young hopeful finished third in the FIA European F3 Championship in 2015, following that up with a fourth place finish in the GP3 series in 2016.

In recent years, he has combined his single-seater career with sports cars, and currently competes in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, driving an Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 for R-Motorsport.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.