McLaren has announced that 19-year-old Kevin Magnussen will be taking on additional challenges as he reaches the next stage of its Young Driver Programme.

His new role will include further preparatory work for Formula 1, including engineering support and the opportunity to drive the MP4-27 during the Young Driver F1 test later this year. He will also work under Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey in the team's simulator, initially familiarising himself with the inner workings of its simulator program before progressing into its car development program, which will see him helping to evaluate technical progress of the MP4-27, as well as the accuracy of the simulations.

Kevin, son of Jan Magnussen, joined the entry level of the Woking outfit's Driver Development Programme in 2010. Last year he finished runner-up in the British Formula 3 Championship, setting eight pole positions and winning seven races. In 2012 he will combine his McLaren role with a full-time drive in World Series by Renault.

"I'm really pleased by this new agreement with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes," said Magnussen. "The team has shown great faith in me so far and I feel that this is an important step in my career. F1 is a highly pressured, data-driven environment, and anyone who wants to get there and succeed within it has to master all the technical aspects of the discipline. This is a great opportunity and I look forward to working with the team and playing a part in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' future."

"Racing is the core business of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes," added Martin Whitmarsh. "By enabling talented drivers to fulfil their potential, our Driver Development Programme is a strategic investment in the future of that business and the sport as a whole. We've been delighted by Kevin's progress, aptitude and work ethic thus far. The time was right for him to take the next step and we look forward to helping him gain the experience he requires."