Canadian Wickens joined virgin F1 Team as reserve driver

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Canadian Robert Wickens has been hired as the reserve driver for the Marussia Virgin Formula One racing team.

The 22-year-old Toronto native will be with the team for the rest of the season and will attend the Canadian Grand Prix June 10-12 in Montreal, although he is not expected to drive during practice.

He replaces Sakon Yamamoto of Japan, whose contract expired after the first three races of the season.

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve of Montreal is the last Canadian to race in F1, doing so for BMW in 2006.

Wickens, who is sponsored by Russian sports car manufacturer Marussia, is one point behind Carlin Motorsports teammate Jean-Eric Vergne for the lead in the Formula Renault 3.5 series after a second-place finish in Monaco last weekend.

He finished second in the F2 series in Europe in both 2009 and 2010, compiling five victories. He previously raced on the Red Bull junior team in Formula Atlantic and the A1GP series.

It is believed that a strong season in Formula Renault may lead to an F1 ride in 2012.

Virgin drivers Timo Glock of Germany and Jerome D'Ambrosio of Belgium have yet to earn a point this season for the second-year team.

The team that had hoped to be in the middle of the pack this year fired technical director Nick Wirth this week. The long-range goal is to compete for the podium by 2014, when the first Russian Grand Prix is to be run.