Highlights

Germany's Vettel takes over as BMW F1 test driver

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-24 09:02

German teenager Sebastian Vettel will drive BMW Sauber's third car in Friday practice at this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday.

Vettel, 19, takes over from Poland's Robert Kubica who has graduated to the race seat for the rest of the season after the team split with Canada's former champion Jacques Villeneuve.

"We are giving Sebastian the chance to prove what he is already capable of," said team boss Mario Theissen in a statement.

"Of course Istanbul isn't going to be a walk over for him. Sebastian has far fewer F1 test kilometres on the clock compared to Robert when he joined us. That has to be borne in mind."

Theissen confirmed that Kubica, who became Poland's first Formula One driver in Hungary this month, would compete in the remaining five races.

Vettel won the German and European junior kart championships in 2001 and won 18 out of 20 races in German Formula BMW in 2004. He is currently second overall in the junior Formula Three Euro Series with three wins.