Former Hispania driver Karun Chandhok will test for Team Lotus as the Malaysian team considers him as a potential reserve driver.

The Indian lost his race seat at Hispania just after the British Grand Prix last year, for what is widely believed to have been financial reasons. However, new hope has arrived in the form of a call from Tony Fernandes to drive the new T128 at Jerez this week and possibly in Barcelona the week after.

"We would like him to be reserve driver," Fernandes told Reuters, "but we've got to see whether it all works out, that's the plan. He is going to get a couple of slots in the testing now in Jerez and Barcelona. And then we'll decide after that.

"Mike (Gascoyne) and (team CEO) Riad (Asmat) and everyone else feel he's the right guy to add value to the team," he added, failing to even hint at the value of having an Indian driver in the team as the country prepares to host its first ever round of the world championship.

Asked how the new car had performed in Valencia, Fernandes said: "We are very, very happy. The car looks great, wind tunnel (data) looks great but until it's on the track you don't know. The response I got back from Heikki and Jarno was fantastic.

"The car wasn't set up properly on the last day, we were just doing lots of tests, and the times were fantastic. We've made that big step forward. In comparison to other teams, we're not that far behind. It shows what can be done if you have the right spirit and the right people."