BMW eyeing Brit for test driver role?

Although they faced the prospect of having too many drivers for too few seats only a few months ago, BMW Sauber are thought to be on the look out for a new test driver to replace Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel.

While GP2 Series Champion Glock has not been confirmed in any team as of yet, the German is expected to be announced soon as either a Toyota or Williams driver, therefore opening up a plum vacancy of test driver at BMW.

Indeed, with Vettel having moved on to Scuderia Toro Rosso midway through the Formula 1 season, the third driver role to support Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica could go to one of four candidates, according to German magazine Auto Motor Und Sport.

Of most interest to British fans, Adam Carroll is a name that has cropped up following his successful return to the GP2 Series, one that yielded two victories and several podiums, despite only competing in a handful of rounds in the second half of the season.

One factor working in the Northern Irishman's favour is the fact that he has extensive Formula 1 experience already having worked as a development driver for BAR Honda until this year.

Unsurprisingly, German drivers are also in the running, with BMW affiliated Nico Hulkenberg and Christian Vietoris favourite to get the nod.

Willi Weber backed Hulkenberg shot to fame last year when he took Germany to a dominant victory in A1 GP, while he - along with Vietoris - is a former Formula BMW Germany winner. Vietoris, meanwhile, is due to test the BMW Sauber machine anyway as a prize for winning the 2006 Formula BMW World Final last year.

The fourth and final candidate, new British Formula 3 Champion Marko Asmer, also comes with tenuous links to BMW. The Estonian tested a BMW-powered Williams, albeit back in 2003, and is hotly tipped for a good GP2 seat next season having broken the record for race wins with Hitech Racing this year.