> Fisichella and Ralf to test for Force India.

Formula 1 veterans Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher will test for Force India at Jerez next week as both seek to prolong their careers in the top flight.

The duo, who were team-mates at the team in 1997 when it was still known as Jordan, are both out of contract with Schumacher quitting Toyota by mutual consent and Fisichella seemingly unlikely to be retained by Renault.

Now with so few seats still available on the grid for 2008, the competition for a seat alongside Adrian Sutil is becoming fierce.

Schumacher, who hinted at the weekend that he still harbours front-line ambitions with McLaren, is good friends with Force India's billionaire owner Vijay Mallya and has long been linked to a switch with the team.

"I have known Vijay for many years over my time with Toyota," said the 32-year-old.

"I fully understand his passion for the sport and know that he will put this drive into Force India to make it a success.

"For any driver, driving for a young dynamic team with high ambitions is a good opportunity, but at the moment it is just one test to see how we get on working together, and whether this is possible.

"I think I can help the team with its development programme but we will see.'

The test will signify the third separate occassion that 34-year-old Fisichella has worked with the team, having raced for it in 1997, then again in 2002 and '03, scoring Jordan's final victory in Brazil in his last year.

The Roman has driven for Renault since 2005, but while he has added two more victories to his tally he has suffered by comparison to his team-mates Fernando Alonso and Heikki Kovalainen.

Nevertheless he would bring more recent experience of a front-running team than Schumacher could.

'Whilst no drivers have been officially confirmed by Renault, the team has given me permission to explore other options," said Fisichella.

"I was invited to test with Force India F1 Team at Jerez and I was very happy to accept it.'

Former Toyota and Renault test driver Franck Montagny has also been asked to test for the team.

Former Red Bull teamsters Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi are also in the frame to join Force India having both impressed at Barcelona at the beginning of November.

Source: itv-f1