Mercedes Formula E team to test Vandoorne, Gutiérrez

©Mercedes

The new Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team is to hold four days of tests at the Circuit Mallorca in Spain this week, featuring two former F1 drivers behind the wheel.

The testing allocation is part of Mercedes' build up to joining Formula E as a manufacturer for the 2019/20 season.

Ex-McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne has just completed his first season in the all-electric championship with the Mercedes-affiliated HWA Racelab team.

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The Belgian driver has already taken part in the new team's initial three-day shakedown in March, and was also active with Mercedes for two days of testing at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Varano, Italy.

This week he'll be joined in Spain by 2010 GP3 champion Esteban Gutierrez, who drove in F1 for Sauber and Haas between 2013 and 2016.

The 27-year-old Mexican has also previously been a reserve driver at Ferrari, and this year has been serving as a simulator driver for the Mercedes F1 squad.

He competed in three races in Formula E with Techeetah during the 2016/17 series before moving on to a seat in the US IndyCar Series at Dale Coyne Racing.

Working alongside Gutierrez and Vandoorne this week will be former Mercedes DTM driver Edoardo Mortara, who previously teamed up with Vandoorne for the March shakedown.

Mortara has already been confirmed as staying in Formula E with Venturi for another season.

However the line-up at Mercedes for the Silver Arrow's first season in Formula E is yet to be confirmed.

Former Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne successfully clinched back-to-back titles earlier this month with Techeetah, following the New York ePrix season finale.

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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.