Grapevine: Alesi Set for Final Talks with McLaren

Frenchman Jean Alesi will meet with bosses from McLaren-Mercedes next week in a bid to finalise discussions on a possible test driver role with the team.

Alesi has tested twice with the Woking-based squad and is keen to seal a deal to continue working on that programme alongside his race drive in the German Touring Car (DTM) championship with Mercedes.

The former Grand Prix winner finished in an impressive third place on his DTM debut two weekends ago, and has impressed McLaren with his performances in testing. He was present in the paddock at the Circuit de Catalunya last week as a guest of Mercedes and will enter possible final discussions with the team after this weekend's DTM race.

"This week it has been hard to discuss because of the DTM race," said Alesi's manager Mario Miyakawa of the McLaren situation. "But I think next week we will have meetings again and I hope they will be (the final ones)."

Miyakawa revealed that Alesi had missed the latest test at Valencia because the McLaren-Mercedes team wanted to work on part of their electronics package for the next race. Instead, long-time test driver Alexander Wurz joined the team to carry out the work, but a question remains over who would be designated as the reserve driver if Alesi were to be taken on.

"At this stage it is too soon to speak about that," said Miyakawa when asked if his driver would become the team's reserve. "We have to wait until the next meeting and then we will know more."