Alex Lynn and Jolyon Palmer impress on F1 test debuts

British rising stars Alex Lynn and Jolyon Palmer both made their F1 debuts in this week's test in Abu Dhabi.

Red Bull protege Lynn, winner of the 2014 GP3 title, drove for Lotus, while GP2 champion Palmer was with Force India. Both men are looking for F1 reserve driver roles.

A solid showing

Lynn only had the second half of today's session in the car, and completed 52 troublefree laps.

“The Lotus E22 is an amazing piece of machinery, but I felt comfortable with it almost immediately,” he said Alex. “As time went on I felt more and more accustomed to it and we were able to begin to push, while giving some detailed feedback to the engineers. I’ve obviously still got a lot to learn, but I was able to get on top of the car quite quickly.

It was surreal when I first got out of the pits, but after the first moment I was just focusing on getting the job done for the team and doing my best

Jolyon Palmer

“Of course, you always feel that you could have done more, but for a first day it’s really not bad at all. I’m very grateful to the team for this opportunity, and I hope I was able to help them prepare for next season. I’ve got to say that this whole experience has just made me even more hungry for my next taste of Formula One!”

Engine issues end Palmer's test prematurely

Meanwhile Palmer spent a day in the Force India on Tuesday, although in the end engine issues meant that he completed only 37 laps.

“It was surreal when I first got out of the pits, but after the first moment I was just focusing on getting the job done for the team and doing my best,” he said. “Despite a few technical issues early on, in the end we managed to get back on track and have a solid hour of running, getting up to speed fairly quickly. What really stood out for me is the power delivery of a Formula One car, compared to what I am used to in GP2: I heard lots about it all year, but to actually experience it first hand, feeling it as I drove was impressive.

“I have learnt a lot working with the team, seeing how everyone operates, and I am really happy about today's experience. Sahara Force India is a team that gives young drivers good chances and I would love to get a role with them. They developed Paul Di Resta into a good racer, created a meaningful FP1 programme for Jules Bianchi and generally do a really good work with their reserve drivers.”