McNish Happy to Maintain F1 Involvement

Briton Allan McNish ensured his continuing presence in Formula One today as Renault's test and reserve driver.

"Obviously I would prefer to be racing but this is the best situation I could have apart from a race seat," said the 33-year-old Scot after the team announced his appointment.

Dropped by Toyota along with Finnish teammate Mika Salo at the end of his debut season, the former Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar winner had looked to be headed for America until the French carmaker stepped in.

"I had been speaking to teams since the end of the season but it became quickly apparent that the only seats available would be paying ones," said McNish. "We just did not have those funds and I prefer to be paid for my services.

"I was looking at doing something in the United States but Renault contacted me before the end of the year and when they explained what they were doing it appealed to me. It keeps me involved in F1 and the nature of this sport is that you never know what can happen."

McNish will be one of two Renault test drivers, the other being young Frenchman Franck Montagny, but they will have different roles. The team confirmed that they had taken up a new Friday test option giving them an extra session at race weekends in exchange for limiting their private testing during the season to 10 days.

Although McNish failed to score any points last year, he has first hand experience of all the Championship circuits and years of experience in motorsport.

"The deal means I will be testing on Fridays at every Grand Prix and will keep me involved in Formula One," he said. "I have known (Renault team principal) Flavio (Briatore) for a long time and he knew what I could do from when I tested at Benetton but they also knew I had the experience from last year."

The testing role will also offer McNish the possibility of a race drive, should either of the regular drivers be unable to compete, but date clashes will rule him out of competing at Le Mans this year. McNish had been tipped as a likely entrant in that race but the Canadian Grand Prix coincides with it.