Pirelli role for Di Grassi

Di Grassi, who made his grand prix debut with the Virgin team last year, will be in charge of developing the latest generation of tyres for the future in at least five tests in 2011.

"A significant part of our tyre development stems from the feedback we receive from our test driver, so this is an absolutely crucial appointment," said Pirelli's Paul Hembery.

"Lucas has impressed us not only with his pace, which is vital if we are going to accurately simulate racing conditions, but also his technical feedback to the engineers. I'm delighted to welcome Lucas into the team."

Di Grassi, who already tested for Pirelli last month, will also attend all grands prix this year in order to collect information and pass on his experience during technical debriefs.

"Pirelli has done a fantastic job so far in a very short space of time and I'm looking forward to helping to make the P Zero tyres even better in the future: not just for the drivers and teams but for the spectators as well," di Grassi said.

"This is a great opportunity for me to get more time behind the wheel of a Formula One car - which is difficult these days because of the current testing regulations - and also to use my knowledge to help make a real difference to the sport."