Ticktum aiming for RB15 test outing this year

Dan Ticktum is hoping that he can test Red Bull's RB15 at some point during the 2019 season.

Ticktum, a Red Bull junior driver, will compete in the Super Formula championship this year for Team Mugen, following on from his European Formula 3 campaign in 2018.

The 19-year-old lost out on the title to Mick Schumacher after a strong start to the year. In the second half of the season, Ticktum won just one race, which saw him drop to second place in the championship behind Schumacher.

Ticktum has been tipped for a future seat at Toro Rosso, and recently made his first ever Red Bull F1 outing, driving the 2011 RB7 around the Suzuka Circuit as part of a fan festival.

"Last weekend was a lot of fun and big privilege to be asked by my employer to represent them in a showrun," Ticktum said. "So I was very happy to take [that] on and all went well."

But now Ticktum has his eyes on a more serious run, in the current Red Bull car that will contest the 2019 F1 championship.

"Hopefully I'll be able to test the RB15 at some point this year. Nothing is confirmed at the moment, but maybe. I'm hoping that I will test [it] and it will be a very good opportunity.

"I try to keep doing my job and if I connect myself properly here [in Super Formula] then I keep the boss happy and then maybe he'll give me the opportunity to drive his car this year."

Ticktum added that he believes he has spent too much time in his head thinking about graduating to F1, and insists he will focus his goals on Super Formula for the upcoming year.

"I think I'm just so focused on getting [to F1] to be honest - something I think about it too much," he said. "Everyone is always asking, 'what do you want to achieve when you are there?' But first I need to have a very good year here, and then I want to get into F1.

"Most likely I'll have an opportunity maybe with Toro Rosso. Then from there you never know what will happen, but I just keep trying to do the best I can."