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Mercedes reserve Wehrlein to test for Force India

LONDON (Reuters) - Germany's Pascal Wehrlein, the official reserve driver for Formula One world champions Mercedes, will test for Force India in Barcelona this week, both teams announced on Wednesday. The 20-year-old will have two days in Force India's 2014 car and also take part in two further in-season tests with the Mercedes-powered team. Force India, who have been feeling financial pressures, have yet to finish their 2015 car and missed the opening test in Jerez earlier this month. They hope to have the new one running at the final four-day test in Barcelona that ends on March 1, with the season starting in Australia on March 15. "This is a great opportunity for Pascal to develop his Formula One knowledge...and shows the good working relationship within the Mercedes-Benz family," said Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff in a statement. "Pascal impressed us with his approach to the Abu Dhabi test last year and I am sure his feedback will be useful to Force India also. It is also a valuable opportunity for him to work with another team and gain more experience." Wehrlein, who will race in the DTM German Touring Car Championship this year as well as being backstop at grands prix to double world champion Lewis Hamilton and team mate Nico Rosberg, thanked Mercedes for making the test happen. "I know the simulator already, but I don't have much experience on the track," he added. "I have already driven the World Champion Mercedes-Benz F1 W05 Hybrid and the comparison with Sahara Force India will be very exciting for me." Wehrlein's involvement means Force India's regular race drivers, Mexican Sergio Perez and Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, will have only one day each in the old car -- their first laps of the year so far. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Amlan Chakraborty)