This week’s young driver test at Jerez has given the teams the opportunity to carry out some all important out of season work whilst still observing the FIA’s winter ban, but it’s also allowed a troupe of young hopefuls to live out their Formula One dreams for a few days. One of those currently on cloud nine is DTM driver Paul di Resta, who has been charged with driving Force India’s VJM02.

McLaren’s Gary Paffett proved on Wednesday that experience is still a valuable commodity in Formula One racing, after dominating the second day of this week’s young driver test at Jerez in Spain. The 28-year-old Englishman, who first tested for the team in 2001, was the only man to dip below the 1m 19s mark, clocking a best time of 1m 18.718s to finish almost half a second ahead of 2010 Williams’ driver Nico Hulkenberg…

Although frustrated he only finished tenth for Force India on the Jerez timesheets, 21 year-old American JR Hildebrand was pleased with his progress during the opening day of this week’s young driver test. Here Indy Lights champion Hildebrand relives his first taste of Formula One power and looks ahead to getting back in the car on Wednesday afternoon…

Following a season that saw them clinch five pole positions, six victories and second place in the constructors’ championship, Red Bull can be forgiven for spending a little time celebrating before they knuckle down to their 2010 preparations. And last weekend the team did just that, throwing an extravagant party for the entire team at a country house near their Milton Keynes factory

Although there’s been an influx of young drivers into Formula One racing in recent years, the sport is always hungry for more.

All eyes will be on the Jerez circuit in southern Spain from Tuesday as several Formula One teams take advantage of the proviso in the FIA’s stringent testing restrictions that allows them three days of track time to try out young, up-and-coming drivers.

Oliver Turvey, who won the 2006 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, will be given his prize drive by McLaren during this week’s young driver winter test at Jerez. Turvey, who has already undergone a seat fitting at McLaren’s factory, will get his first taste of Formula One power in the British team’s MP4-24 at the Spanish circuit.

Ask anyone in Formula One racing and they’ll tell you Peter Sauber’s a real gentleman, even in the heat of competition. For the last four years he’s taken a back seat after BMW purchased a controlling share in the team he founded. Now, however, he’s returned to the spotlight after buying it back.

Force India have announced that Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi will continue to race for the team next season. The squad is hopeful that continuity in their driver line-up will be an important factor in the success of their championship challenge in 2010. “We are very pleased to retain the services of both Adrian and Tonio for another season,” said the team’s chairman and team principal, Dr Vijay Mallya.

Renault have revealed their line-up for next week’s young driver test in Spain. Reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion Bertrand Baguette, Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung and the French team’s third driver Lucas Di Grassi will share driving duties during the three-day session at Jerez