Mercedes plans to hire reserve driver

Mercedes GP is planning to hire a reserve driver for the 2011 season, but has denied having approached Nico Hulkenberg for the role

The team has been left without a reserve since Nick Heidfeld joined Pirelli - and then Sauber - during the 2010 season.

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug believes there is value in having a test driver, despite the lack of testing allowed.

"You can do a lot of simulator and a lot of work in the simulator," said Haug during the launch of the new Mercedes at Valencia.

"You can probably do a shakedown or whatever, but really testing on the circuit is absolutely limited to the minimum as you all know but you have to have - a better expression is a reserve driver.

"So should you be in a position to score good points when one of your drivers is not capable of driving the car, you should have somebody who can jump into the car and do a decent job.

"We are working on it and I think we will have a reserve driver."

Haug denied, however, speculation that the team has been in talks with Force India reserve Hulkenberg.

"We are in contact and have ideas for a third driver but currently there is no contact to Nico Hulkenberg in that respect. But I am sure that he improved last year, and if you win GP2 and if you put a car on pole you have the right ingredients but we are not negotiating with him.

"He is contracted to Force India to my knowledge. He is a guy who did a good job who was improving last year but we have no contacts these days."