Markelov set to test for Renault next week

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Formula 2 driver Artem Markelov will finally get a chance to take part in an official Formula 1 test next week.

The 23-year-old Russian is currently Renault's test and development driver.

However his services weren't required for the first in-season test in May at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The team opted to give Jack Aitken a trial alongside regular driver Carlos Sainz on that occasion.

Markelov did get a chance to try out a H2016-spec Renault R.S.16 at Paul Ricard earlier this month.

Now according to Motorsport.com, he will finally get his opportunity to show what he can do in the current R.S.18 at the two-day test at the Hungaroring.

He will split the test duties with Hulkenberg in the test that follows the Hungarian Grand Prix, the last race before Formula 1's summer shutdown. Hulkenberg will be in action on Tuesday, with Markelov taking over for the second day.

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Teams have to fulfil a quote of a certain number of test outings for up-and-coming drivers such as Markelov, who is currently in fourth place in the Formula 2 championship.

He's vying for this year's title with the likes of George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon. Wins at Bahrain, Monaco and the Red Bull Ring have put him up to fourth place in the drivers standings.

It's his fifth season with the Russian Time team in the feeder series previously known as GP2. He was runner-up in 2017 to Charles Leclerc, who got a Formula 1 race seat at Sauber on the back of his title-winning performance.

Another Formula 2 driver, DAMS Nicholas Latifi, will also be at work in next week's test session. He's one of two drivers confirmed by Force India.

The other is Nikita Mazepin, a teenage driver currently competing in GP3. Like Markelov he hails from Moscow.

Simulator driver Jake Dennis will handle testing duties for Red Bull, while Williams will split the test role between Oliver Rowland and Robert Kubica.

Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Toro Rosso and Sauber are yet to confirm their plans for next week's sessions.

Haas is the only F1 team so far to have announced that it will be skipping next week's test session entirely.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.