Pedro de la Rosa returns to McLaren as its test/reserve driver - Formula 1
Pedro de la Rosa, the official test driver of Pirelli has returned to McLaren as their test and reserve driver for the 2011 Formula 1 season.
Pedro drove for McLaren as their reserve/test driver from 2003 to 2009 before signing with Team Sauber as their full season driver last year. However, the Spanish is back with the team once again to fill his old position in order to help McLaren develop
their new car, the “MP4-26”, alongside Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
“Of all the teams I've driven for in Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is the one that really feels like home. So I'm very excited about returning to the team to help push the development of the MP4-26,” de la Rosa said.
He stated that Hamilton and Button are at good terms with him and he is excited to work with the two British drivers at McLaren. Pedro vows to help the team as much as he can in order to ensure that they secure the best possible car for the 2011 Formula
1 season. He hopes to work with the engineers and the team’s technical resources back at the McLaren Technology Centre at his best.
The team’s boss Martin Whitmarsh welcomed the experienced Spanish driver back into the team and also confirmed that Gary Paffett, the team’s current reserve driver has been retained as well.
“With two world champion race drivers in Lewis and Jenson, and two of the world's most experienced and capable development drivers in Pedro and Gary, we feel we have a quartet of talent that is absolutely second-to-none,” said Martin.
McLaren is currently going through a tough time in its development process. Jenson Button recently stated that the team might not be able to perform as good as the top running teams, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing, at the season opening race in Australia that
is expected to take place on the 27th of March.
Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see their performance at the season opener, and their remaining two days of testing at the final pre-season test session in Barcelona in order to evaluate their car’s pace.
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