Di Grassi to replace de la Rosa as tire tester

Lucas di Grassi

(GMM) Lucas di Grassi will be Pirelli's new main tire test driver. That is the claim of italiaracing.net, amid the need for formula one's new official tire supplier to replace the departing Pedro de la Rosa.

De la Rosa has been given permission to test Pirelli's 2009 Toyota in Istanbul this weekend, but after that he will focus exclusively on his role as third driver at McLaren.

Brazilian di Grassi, 26 and a renowned test driver, was left without a role in F1 this year after making his grand prix debut with Virgin in 2010.

Earlier this year, he dismissed initial reports about a possible Pirelli role as "speculation" but admitted being a tire test driver "would be interesting".