Indian GP2 driver Karun Chandhok is ready for a Formula One test seat in 2009, but not a Grand Prix debut, Force India team co-owner Vijay Mallya said at Spa Francorchamps.
Despite previously saying he wanted a countryman at the wheel of one of his cars by next year, the Indian billionaire explained in Belgium that he does not believe 24-year-old Chandhok should join the grid in 2009.
Before Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, he suggested strongly that Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil will be retained beyond the end of this season.
Italian Tonio Liuzzi is Force India's current test driver.
"I would love to give Karun a go as a test driver," Mallya said.
"He is a year away from a race seat. I need to see him consistently winning in GP2, not an odd race here and there," he added.
"At the end of the day, on one hand I cannot be encouraging the team's performance, and then doing something that might compromise the result."
Mallya suggested that retaining Fisichella and Sutil would be straightforward, as both their current contracts contain options for 2009.
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A little common sense from a team owner for a change - I was really worried we were going to get an inexperienced, no talent, dangerous driver in a car just because of his nationality. I'm happy to see Mallya use some intelligence as it counts for the safety of the other drivers on the grid too.
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