Indian racer Jehan Daruvala will take part in his second two-day Formula One test with former champions McLaren at the Portimao circuit in Portugal next week.

The test, during which Daruvala will once again drive the 2021 car MCL35M will take place on July 18th and 19th. He had completed over 130 laps of Silverstone during his first Formula One outing with the British team last month during which he impressed with his fitness, how quickly he adapted to F1 machinery, his feedback and his ability to assimilate information from the engineers.

Read what Jehan Daruvala had to say about the first test with McLaren and his plans forward

“My first taste of Formula One machinery was surreal and I can’t wait to get back in the car again in Portimao,” Daruvala was quoted as saying in a media release issued by Mumbai Falcons who are supporting the racer’s Formula 2 title bid.

“I came away from the Silverstone test with a lot of confidence as both from a driving and physical perspective I did well and covered more than two race distances absolutely trouble-free. My dream has always been to race in Formula One and this test will build on what we achieved at Silverstone. I am thankful to both Red Bull and McLaren for giving me this opportunity and continuing to support my development.”

Next week’s test in Portimao, his second time in a Formula One car, will allow Daruvala to build on that strong outing and further prepare him as he hopes to become only the third Indian to race at the pinnacle of the sport.

Jehan, who currently competes with Prema Racing in feeder series Formula 2 and is a part of the Red Bull Junior Team, is now eligible for a Formula One superlicense, having both the required points and mileage in last year’s F1 car.

The Portimao test, like the Silverstone outing, is part of McLaren’s Testing Previous Car (TPC) programme, which the team is running to evaluate young, up and coming drivers.