Renault Set to Run Extra Driver on Friday

Renault are expected to be the only team to run an extra driver in Friday's two-hour testing session after sources at Minardi, Jaguar and Jordan suggested they would concentrate on working with their race drivers.

The four teams, who have all elected to forgo unlimited testing during the season in favour of extra running on the Friday, are all likely to run three cars but Renault will use tester Allan McNish as an extra driver.

The French team, who made the surprise choice to opt out of testing, believe the extra two hour session will give them essential track information for the weekend and they will aim to maximise the amount of data they can collect.

Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart had hoped to gain financially by running a young Australian driver in the Friday session to entice local sponsors to back his team for this weekend's event. Those plans appear to have failed and Minardi will instead give Briton Justin Wilson as much time as possible to get used to the Melbourne circuit, which he has never driven on before.

Jaguar, whose new driver Antonio Pizzonia is also an Albert Park rookie, will do the same as will Jordan, whose newly-signed 27-year-old Ralph Firman has never driven at the Australian track either.