Adrian Sutil will return to the cockpit of a Force India on Thursday after a 15-month break from Formula One.
The team confirmed on Friday Sutil had visited their Silverstone base last week for a seat fitting ahead of a drive in this week’s second pre-season test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.
The team also announced their schedule for the next four days, confirming Paul di Resta will be behind the wheel of the VJM06 tomorrow and Wednesday.
German Sutil will then take over on Thursday before handing over the car to current reserve Jules Bianchi for the final day on Friday.
With Force India the only team yet to announce their second driver for the coming new campaign which starts in less than four weeks in Australia on March 17, it appears there is a shootout on the cards between Sutil and Bianchi.
For Sutil, it represents another opportunity at Force India who opted to dispense with his services at the end of 2011 after six years with the marque in its various guises, initially as Midland, then Spyker.
Sutil, dropped in favour of compatriot Nico Hulkenberg who has joined Sauber from this season, also returns with a suspended sentence hanging over him.
A year ago the 30-year-old was convicted of grievous bodily harm for assaulting Lotus executive Eric Lux with a champagne glass during an incident in a Shanghai nightclub after the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix.
A German court handed Sutil an 18-month suspended sentence and a £167,000 fine, a decision Force India claim in no way influenced their decision to part company with him.
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