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Alonso to test for McLaren today

World champion Fernando Alonso will test for McLaren for the first time today at Jerez, autosport.com can reveal.

The last-minute test comes after Renault agreed to release the Spaniard from his contract, following intense negotiations with McLaren until late last night.

Alonso arrived at the Jerez track yesterday afternoon, staying at a nearby hotel with his father and manager, preparing for the possibility of testing.

The reigning champion, who has left Renault to join McLaren, will take over today from McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa, and he is expected to drive in an unbranded car.

It remains unclear at the moment what McLaren and Renault had agreed on, but autosport.com understands that the negotiations were held at the highest level, with personnel from both McLaren and Renault kept out of the loop to ensure secrecy.

McLaren were keen to get Alonso into their car before the Christmas break, especially since there will be no extensive testing during the month of January.

A McLaren spokeswoman confirmed to autosport.com that Alonso will be testing today, while Renault were unavailable for comment.

Alonso makes McLaren debut
Friday, 15, December, 2006, 10:43
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Double world champion Fernando Alonso has made a surprise debut for McLaren on the final day’s testing of the year at Jerez this morning.

The 26-year-old Spaniard looked set to miss all of the three Christmas tests as his contract with Renault did not end until December 31.

McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh revealed last week that the Woking-squad had asked the world champion team to release the driver from his contract early to allow him to take part at Jerez, and it seems a late agreement has been reached.

Wearing a plain white helmet, Alonso left the pits in an unbranded MP4-21 and completed several laps of the Spanish circuit.

IndyCar ace Marco Andretti is also catching the attention at Jerez as he makes his F1 testing debut for Honda.

aawil wrote:I hate to say it but it was nice of them to allow him to test although he is still under contract. I doubt mclaren would have been so generous.

Germany's Bild-Zeitung claims that although Flavio Briatore said he and the Spaniard still enjoy 'a very good relationship', the Italian probably still demanded that McLaren pay for the privilege - according to speculation - of using a Renault employee for the Jerez test. The sum of (US) $2.6m was mentioned.

Some sources claimed that with the Spanish world champion remaining under contract until the last day of 2006, Briatore demanded more than $2.5 million from counterpart Ron Dennis so that Alonso could make an unbranded debut at Jerez last Friday.

Renault's Briatore insisted to the Spanish newspaper Diario As, however, that the temporary contract release was in recognition of their joint achievements and respect.

"Fernando has been with us for five years," Briatore said, "and in that time obtained two world titles.


"For that reason alone, and because he asked me for permission to test with his new team, I was happy to let him do it. There is nothing else to it."