Celis Jr. gets first F1 practice in Bahrain

Alfonso Celis Jr.

Force India development driver Alfonso Celis Jr. will get his first Friday practice outing at the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix, the team confirmed on Thursday.

Mexican racer Celis Jr., 19, joined Force India at the end of last year, and drove a Formula 1 car for the first time at Pirelli's dedicated tyre test in Abu Dhabi.

Celis Jr. went on to debut Force India's 2016-spec VJM09 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last month, carrying out two days of pre-season running.

In Bahrain, Celis Jr. will take the next step by appearing in Friday's opening practice session, with regular driver and compatriot Sergio Perez stepping aside.