Alfa Romeo Sauber has announced Colombian driver Tatiana Calderon will be their test driver for the 2018 Formula 1 season.
The 24-year-old spent last season as a development driver with the Swiss team, securing a promotion for the forthcoming campaign. Her role will involve work in the team’s simulator as well as being on-site for a number of race weekends.
Calderon began racing in Colombia at nine years old, and has competed in British F3, Euroformula Open and GP3, and secured a podium in the final round of the World Series Formula V8 championship in 2017.
Calderon said: “I am very pleased to confirm my role as Test Driver for the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team in the 2018 season. This collaboration will build upon the experience that I have gained as Development Driver with the team over the past year, and I look forward to continuing on this positive path together. I have been able to substantially expand and develop my skills as a race driver, and I am convinced that I will be doing so throughout this year.”
Calderon also took to Twitter following the announcement, writing that she is “very excited” to continue her F1 journey with the team, and thanked them and one of her sponsors for their support and trust.
Alfa Romeo Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur added: “We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with Tatiana Calderon as our Test Driver. Tatiana is a very hard-working person, who has impressed the team with her focus and dedication. She has made good progress as a driver, developing both her mental and physical capacities continuously over the past few years. We look forward to having Tatiana on board for our first chapter as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team.”
As well as her duties with Alfa Romeo Sauber, Calderon will continue to compete in GP3 with another Swiss team – Jenzer Racing. Sauber also have Antionio Giovinazzi as a reserve driver for 2018 after he made his F1 debut with the team last year filling in for the injured Pascal Wehrlein.
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