F1: Merhi says he has Caterham race deal

Roberto Merhi believes he has a valid contract to make his Formula 1 race debut with Caterham in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old Spaniard has made three Friday practice appearances for the team and had already been in the running for a race shot earlier in the season. Merhi's father Roberto Merhi Sr. told AUTOSPORT that there was an agreement in place for his son to race if either Marcus Ericsson or Kamui Kobayashi could not, and Ericsson recently announced he had terminated his Caterham contract ahead of a move to Sauber in 2015.

"I have heard stories that the receiver Finbarr O Connell [of Smith and Williamson] has contacted people, or several people have contacted him," Merhi Sr. said. "They should know what's going on, because we have a contract that says if any of the main drivers can't run, Roberto should be driving.

"They are in receivership, but receivership doesn't mean that things have to change. Receivership is paying people, but receivership does not change activity, or it shouldn't change activity. If there is a contract, they have got to obey the contract, and maybe be bound by it.

"The team say they are going to race. I have heard some funny news about [who might be in the car]."

Audi World Endurance Championship driver Andre Lotterer said in Bahrain this weekend that he had been approached by Caterham about Abu Dhabi but was unsure whether to accept the offer.

Caterham has missed the last two grands prix in the United States and Brazil after it went into administration, but it announced on Friday that it would race in Abu Dhabi after a crowdfunding initiative.

His father is confident Merhi has proved in his Caterham practice runs that he is ready for F1.

"I think Monza did Roberto a lot of good," he said. "Everyone knew he had never driven a Formula 1 car or had driven on those tires, and he goes to Monza and is quicker [than Ericsson]; the same in Sochi when it was a new track for everyone."