Force India to test Ralf Schumacher and Fisichella

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON (Reuters) - Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella, former winners in search of a Formula One lifeline, will be among seven drivers testing for Force India in Spain next week.

The renamed team, formerly Spyker, said on Wednesday that the two would each have a full day of testing in Jerez from December 4-7, joining fellow-hopefuls Christian Klien of Austria, Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi and France's Franck Montagny.

Dutchman Giedo van der Garde and Spaniard Roldan Rodriguez, neither of whom have any Formula One race experience, complete the testing line-up.

A team spokeswoman said Adrian Sutil, the German rookie who competed for Spyker this year, was confirmed for next season and had no need to take part in the test.

Compatriot Schumacher, younger brother of retired seven times world champion Michael who will be testing for Ferrari in Jerez the same week, left Toyota in October after three generally lacklustre years.

The 32-year-old, winner of six grands prix for Williams in a 179-race career, has sounded confident about continuing in Formula One but has attracted little interest in his services.

Testing for Ferrari-powered Force India takes the German, who started his career at Jordan in 1997, full circle with that team being renamed Midland and then Spyker before being bought by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya and Dutch entrepreneur Michiel Mol.

Mallya was a sponsor of Toyota this season through his Kingfisher Airlines while technical head Mike Gascoyne has worked with Schumacher at Jordan and Toyota.