McLaren Turn Down de la Rosa Test Seat Offer

McLaren-Mercedes have refused to offer Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa a testing role after the former Jaguar driver visited their Woking factory to discuss the position last week.

De la Rosa, who was left without a drive after being dropped by Jaguar at the end of last season, telephoned the team to see if they were interested in taking him on alongside current tester Alexander Wurz.

But the team, who regularly run a three-car test team with race drivers Scot David Coulthard and Finn Kimi Raikkonen alongside Austrian Wurz, said that although they were impressed they currently have no position.

"Pedro phoned us up and asked to come in for a chat to see the opportunities and we were very impressed with him," said a team spokesman. "Unfortunately, though, we had to tell him we had no plans to change the test team."

McLaren already have several reserve drivers who they call up for tests if their main drivers are not available including Britons Gary Paffett and Darren Manning and the spokesman suggested de la Rosa would now go on that list.