Mar.24 (GMM) Brendon Hartley is hoping he will be granted special dispensation so that he can be officially named Red Bull's F1 reserve driver for 2009.
While the energy drink company wants to nominate the 19-year-old New Zealander for the role, it emerged earlier this month that Hartley is waiting to receive his mandatory FIA superlicense.He completed the necessary formula one mileage at a winter test, but the New Zealand radio station Newstalk ZB reveals that Hartley is still waiting for the document.The news source said Hartley's license application did not meet the criteria for automatic approval by the FIA, despite his third place finish in last year's British F3 series.While an exemption is possible, New Zealand FIA official Morrie Chandler admitted that Hartley may not be able to participate as an official driver at this weekend's Australian grand prix.