F1: Palmer given further Lotus outings

Jolyon Palmer will be given two more chances to impress the Lotus Formula 1 team over the Spanish Grand Prix and subsequent test.

After performing strongly in first practice ahead of the Chinese and Bahrain GPs, Palmer will also drive in free practice one ahead of this weekend's first European round at Barcelona in Spain, where he had made his Lotus debut in winter testing.

Filling in for Romain Grosjean in both appearances to date, the 24-year-old reigning GP2 champion has so far fared well alongside his more experienced team-mate Pastor Maldonado. In Bahrain, Palmer was just over four tenths of a second behind Maldonado at the end of the 90-minute session.

After the grand prix, Lotus's third and reserve driver will take to the wheel again next Wednesday on the second day of a two-day in-season test at the circuit.

"I am really pleased to be back in the car for Barcelona," said Palmer. "It is nice to be back at the track, having already driven the car there in the official pre-season test back in February. After a three-week gap since Bahrain, I'm already looking forward to starting the weekend."

Originally on Autosport.com