Renault has now issued a definitive ‘no’ to McLaren’s request for an early test release for world champion Fernando Alonso.
The Spanish newspaper ‘Diario As’ reports that the 25-year-old will not test for the Mercedes-powered team at Jerez this week, as Renault enforce the terms of his contract through to the last day of 2006.
“Barring an unlikely surprise, we will not see (Fernando) in a Silver Arrows until the presentation of the new car on 14 January in Valencia,” the newspaper wrote on Tuesday.
‘As’ adds, however, that Alonso has visited McLaren’s Woking factory several teams to chat with engineers and peruse the data relating to Bridgestone’s new tyres.
Pedro de la Rosa has also helped his fellow Spaniard to acclimatise to McLaren’s renowned driver simulator, while Alonso has seen the scale model of the 2007 ‘MP4-22’ in the wind tunnel.
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
