McNish Looking for Racing Return in 2004

Scot Allan McNish is looking to be back on the Formula One grid next year after a season testing with the Renault team.

32-year old McNish joined Renault after ending his debut Formula One season in a Toyota alongside Finn Mika Salo last year with a horror crash in qualifying for October's Japanese Grand Prix.

McNish's contract states that he will be asked to race for Renault if either Italian Jarno Trulli or Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who has replaced Jenson Button in the squad, are sidelined.

But McNish, who has turned down an offer from Bentley to drive in their Le Mans 24 Hours squad to concentrate fully on his Formula One career, insisted he will not be hoping for a surprise break.

"There's no way I'll be sitting there hoping that one of them gets the flu or breaks a leg," said McNish, who tested the new R23 for the first time today at Paul Ricard. "If you start thinking things like that then you're not focused 100 percent on what you're supposed to be doing.

"This really is my way back onto the grid - not just if something happens to one of those boys, but for 2004."

Renault boss Flavio Briatore praised McNish - and claimed his arrival has brought fun and laughter back into the team.

McNish was dropped by the Japanese team and given a Grand Prix lifeline by Briatore - and the pair have instantly hit it off with McNish's jovial personality proving a hit with the grey-haired Italian.

"Allan is a terrific character," said Briatore. "I don't think I've ever had so much fun with my drivers."