Paul di Resta will serve as the McLaren Formula 1 team’s ‘standby driver’ for this weekend’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix a🐎t Silverstone.

In the event of eꦉither of its regular drivers Carlꦡos Sainz or Lando Norris being ruled out of a race weekend, McLaren has an agreement to share Mercedes’ reserves Stoffel Vandoorne and Esteban Gutierrez.

But with Vandoorne currently on Formula🐠 E duties at the 2019-20 season finale in Berlin, and with Gutierrez ineligible to race due to not qualifying for a superlicence, McLaren has move🐭d to secure the services of ex-Force India racer di Resta.

The current Sky Sports F1 pundit underwent a seat ♏fitting at McLaren’s Woking factory on 🤡Wednesday prior to this weekend’s second race at Silverstone and has subsequently been nominated as the British outfit’s reserve driver.

"As we have previously confirmed, we have an arrangement wit🐼h Mercedes to use their reserve drivers in the event either ꦦCarlos or Lando are unable to race," a statement from McLaren read.

"With Stoffel Vandoorne unavailable due to his ൩Formula E commitments and Esteban Gutierrez currently not eligible for a superlicence, Paul di Resta will be our standby driver this weekend.

"Paul car🅺ried out a seat fit at the MTC this morning in compliaꦕnce with the FIA COVID-19 protocols but will not be in close contact with the McLaren race team unless needed.

"Paul wi🍷ll continue his duties with Sky Sports F1 this weekend as planned."

Di Resta, who raced for Force India between 2011 and 2013, still holds a valid superl𒅌icence following his surprise appearance driving for Williams at the 2017 Hungaℱrian Grand Prix, when he stood in for the ill Felipe Massa.

Racing Point - which also shares the Mercedes reserves - was unable to use Gutierrez and had to instead call upon Nico Hulkenberg at the British Grand Prix as replacement for Sergio Perez, who became the first F1 driver to be ruled out of a race weekend after the Me𓆉xican tested positiveܫ for COVID-19.

Following the British Grand Prix, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that Gutierrez is required to complete 300km of track running to ear𓃲n his race license back with his last F1 outing coming at the end of 2016 with Haas.