Nov.8 (GMM) HRT on Monday announced that Pastor Maldonado will test with the Spanish team on three of the four forthcoming test days in Abu Dhabi.

The news follows reports the 2010 GP2 champion, who is substantially backed by the Venezuelan petroleum company PDVSA, is close to agreeing to race in 2011 with HRT's new gearbox supplier Williams.

It has already been announced that Maldonado will test the Williams on the remaining day of the tests after next Sunday's season finale.

Earlier, it was rumoured that Williams' Finnish test driver Valtteri Bottas, and possibly even Nico Hulkenberg, might be among other candidates to test with HRT in Abu Dhabi.

Hulkenberg, however, is no longer a candidate, given that Maldonado has been scheduled for the whole of the Pirelli test on 19-20 November.

The 23-year-old German is not eligible to test on the young driver days.

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