Manor F1 driver Roberto Merhi in race to make Pons FR3.5 test
Manor Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi has committed to a demanding travel schedule in order to contest Monday's Formula Renault 3.5 test at Aragon straight after the Malaysian Grand Prix
Alongside his F1 commitments, Spaniard Merhi has elected to participate in a concurrent FR3.5 campaign for Pons Racing this season.
The final pre-season FR3.5 test has acquired additional importance given the first race of the championship will also take place at Aragon on April 25-26.
Pons team manager Emilio de Villota Jr told AUTOSPORT: "Obviously it is going to be a big rush for Roberto, he will miss the beginning of the test and maybe the whole morning, but we expect Roberto can drive for at least a day-and-a-half.
"Roberto will leave Malaysia at eight o'clock in the evening and is then scheduled to land at Barcelona at nine o'clock in the morning.
"We will have a car waiting for him to drive down to Motorland, which is two-and-a-half hours away.
"Even if Roberto misses the morning, it is still very valuable for us to have him there.
"Roberto is making a big effort to be there for us, so we need to take advantage of it.
"My fingers are crossed that he will make his F1 debut this weekend."
Pons has also confirmed that Indonesian rookie Philo Paz Patric Armand (pictured above) will complete the season in its second car.
Armand tested for Pons at Jerez earlier this month, and is a graduate of FR2.0, where he raced for Tech 1 Racing last year.
2015 FR3.5 LINE-UP SO FAR
DAMS
Nyck de Vries, Dean Stoneman
Fortec Motorsports
Oliver Rowland, Jazeman Jaafar
Arden Motorsport
Egor Orudzhev, Nicholas Latifi
Zeta Corse
Facu Regalia, TBA
Lotus
Meindert van Buuren, Matthieu Vaxiviere
Strakka Racing
Gustav Malja, Tio Ellinas
AVF
Beitske Visser, Alfonso Celis
Tech 1 Racing
Aurelien Panis, Roy Nissany
International Draco Racing
Pietro Fantin, Bruno Bonifacio
Pons Racing
Roberto Merhi, Philo Paz Patric Armand
Carlin
Tom Dillmann, Sean Gelael
Comtec Racing
Yet to announce any drivers
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