Christian Klien has been given the verdict over Marko Asmer to act as
BMW Sauber's
Formula 1 test and reserve driver in 2008, the team has announced
The Austrian participated in 46 races in the top flight for Jaguar and
Red Bull Racing from 2004 to 2006, registering a best finish of fifth and highest starting position of fourth place, before spending the 2007 campaign testing for
Honda. He has been promoted to the senior testing role at BMW by dint of his greater experience in relation to reigning British F3 Champion Asmer.
"We wanted a third driver with
F1 racing experience," BMW Motorsport Director Dr Mario Theissen explained. "With Christian, we've signed a driver familiar with the format of a grand prix weekend who can step into the breach right away should one of our team drivers have to back out."
Klien and Asmer have taken over from
Timo Glock and
Sebastian Vettel, who this year will be competing for
Toyota and
Scuderia Toro Rosso respectively. The latter stood in for
Robert Kubica last season at Indianapolis, following the Pole's spectacular crash a week earlier in Canada.
Klien had formerly pinned his hopes on gaining the second
Force India drive for 2008, before losing out to Italian veteran
Giancarlo Fisichella.
Estonian Asmer will now assume the position of the Munich and Hinwil-based squad's second test driver.
