Ricciardo to test for Red Bull at Silverstone

LONDON (Reuters) - Daniel Ricciardo's hopes of replacing fellow-Australian Mark Webber at Red Bull were given a boost on Tuesday when the Formula One champions announced he would test for them at Silverstone this week.

Toro Rosso Formula One driver Ricciardo takes corner during the first practice session of German F1 Grand Prix at Nuerburgring

Red Bull said the Toro Rosso driver, who is facing competition from Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen to partner triple world champion Sebastian Vettel in 2014, would be in their car on Wednesday afternoon.

Webber, who has announced his departure at the end of the season for Le Mans sportscar racing with Porsche, will test the Pirelli tyres on Thursday afternoon and Vettel will be in the car on Friday.

Highly-rated Portuguese Antonio Félix da Costa, a member of the Red Bull young driver programme who would be likely to replace Ricciardo at Toro Rosso, will test in the morning on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Silverstone test was originally intended to be for young drivers but was opened up to regular race drivers to test for Pirelli after a spate of blowouts at the circuit during last month's British Grand Prix.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by John O'Brien)