The 27-year-old Englishman...

The 27-year-old Englishman has finally been given an opportunity to prove himself at the highest level, after impressing as Honda’s official reserve and test driver over the previous two seasons.

“This is an amazing feeling – it’s what I have dreamed of ever since I was a kid doing karting. To finally get your lucky break – because that’s what it is at the end of the day – is literally a dream come true,” he said.

To date, Davidson has contested three grands prix as a stand-in, but he has yet to complete a Formula One race – and that’s a situation he wants to rectify as swiftly as possible. “My initial objective is to finish my first event with the team in Mel-bourne, and then take it from there,” he continued. “By the end of the year, I hope to be pushing Takuma really hard, and hopefully we will be in a competitive environment with our car. The ultimate goal has to be scoring points in your first year – and I believe that this is a realistic target.”