Merhi confident of Chinese GP race seat with Manor

Rookie Roberto Merhi is confident he will return to the cockpit of the Manor car in China.

And Diario Sport said that if the 24-year-old rookie does reprise his race role in Shanghai, he will surely also appear in Bahrain just seven days later.

Merhi said he was honoured to have been nominated for the racing role by the former Marussia team in the days before the 2015 season opener in Melbourne.

"I drove for them in F3 in 2009," he recalled, "competing against Bottas, Bianchi, Ricciardo and other drivers who also reached F1. It helped me a lot in that the team now believes in me."

He openly admits, however, that if the struggling backmarker concludes a lucrative deal with a pay-driver, he will have to make way.

But for China, "It is not yet official but everyone in the team is sure I will be on track. I have been very impressed that the team trusts me even if I have no support or sponsor."