Ongoing Force India driver rumours

[John S]

Pedro de la Rosa has refused to comment on widespread speculation in Spanish newspapers that he is a leading candidate to race with the newly McLaren Mercedes equipped Force India team in 2009.

De la Rosa, who is McLaren's test driver, confirmed this week to the Spanish publication Sport that he would like to return to race duties. "Of course, like all drivers, what I really want to do is to race," he said.

The 37-year old insisted, however, that his current task is to aid the development of McLaren's cars.

Referring to the speculation, he said from his home in Zurich: "At the moment, there is nothing to say.  
 
" He declined to comment at all to Diario AS, the newspaper that speculates that de la Rosa could split the Force India racing role with his McLaren test duties.

The Barcelona-born driver is expected to test for McLaren at Circuit de Catalunya next week. De la Rosa has contested 72 Grand Prix, most recently for McLaren in Brazil two years ago.

E.A, Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

[Dare]

I guess FI has finally became a big team,broken
promises and contracts

[Alianora La Canta]

Very sensible of de la Rosa. Diario AS may not be as bad as La Marca for dodgy rumour-making, but by not commenting on the situation and concentrating on his job, Pedro is doing McLaren quite a few favours.

Remember the Spanish press were full of daft rumours concerning Spanish drivers supposedly getting race seats at Force India last year. My read on it this year is the same as last year, except that instead of the Spanish bloke being a possible tester*, he will be a definite McLaren tester. Remember he was sufficiently indispensable that McLaren let him stay on with no obvious impediment despite his being a key member of the McLaren/Ferrari mess last year. I cannot see someone who is important enough to McLaren for that to happen being released simply to build a bridge between McLaren and Force India. Remember that Simon Roberts (the man seconded by McLaren to be the new chief executive) is over there at least partly to progress his career - something that at Pedro's age and length of time without a full-time race seat isn't going to be possible.