Hamilton to drive for McLaren next week
Lewis Hamilton will get back behind the wheel of a McLaren at Jerez in Spain next week, autosport.com can reveal, but the team have played down talk it is an evaluation for a race seat next year
The GP2 Series leader has been linked with a move to Formula One with McLaren next year, and talk of the test has further fuelled the rumours.
However, McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh has told autosport.com that the test, which will be in last year's MP4-20, is purely for the filming of an advert.
"Yes, he is driving," said Whitmarsh. "But it is not a test as such. We have a test programme with Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett, and similarly we have a filming obligation. Lewis and Jamie Green will also be there."
Whitmarsh has made it clear that Hamilton's run is definitely not being viewed by the team as an evaluation outing.
"Not at all," he said. "To be honest, this was a decision made last weekend.
"Lewis is still focusing on GP2 and we want him to dominate in France and Germany before we look at anything else. I have spoken to him and he knows the score."
McLaren boss Ron Dennis said last month that the team were in no rush to test Hamilton with a view to their driver decision for 2007.
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