Magnussen gets extended role at McLaren

McLaren has announced that Kevin Magnussen will have an extended role this year as a member of the team's Young Driver Programme.

The 19-year-old, son of former grand prix driver Jan, will start working in McLaren's simulator alongside Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey, and will also take part in the Young Driver F1 in Abu Dhabi later this year.

Magnussen, who finished runner-up in the British Formula 3 championship last year, joined McLaren's development programme in 2010.

"Racing is the core business of McLaren," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh. "By enabling talented drivers to fulfil their potential, our Driver Development Programme is a strategic investment in the future of that business and the sport as a whole.

"We've been delighted by Kevin's progress, aptitude and work ethic thus far. The time was right for him to take the next step and we look forward to helping him gain the experience he requires."

In addition to his McLaren role, Magnussen will compete in the Formula Renault 3.5 series with Carlin this year.

"I'm really pleased by this new agreement with McLaren," he said. "The team has shown great faith in me so far and I feel that this is an important step in my career.

"F1 is a highly pressured, data-driven environment, and anyone who wants to get there and succeed within it has to master all the technical aspects of the discipline. This is a great opportunity and I look forward to working with the team and playing a part in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' future."