De la Rosa to test Force India in Spain

Nov.18 (GMM) McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa will test with the Force India team on Tuesday and Wednesday at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

The Silverstone based team's 2008 car in Spain is still being powered by a Ferrari engine, but a major technical collaboration for next year and beyond was recently concluded with McLaren-Mercedes.

Force India is yet to officially announce its race driver lineup for next year, despite team boss Vijay Mallya's declarations that Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella will be staying in 2009.

However, Mallya subsequently admitted that he will from now on take McLaren's advice in all areas, including drivers.

De la Rosa, 37, is a veteran of more than 70 races, and despite fulfilling the role of McLaren's primary test and reserve driver for several years, harbours a desire to return to the grid.

The news of de la Rosa's two-day Force India test was reported widely in the Spanish press, including in the sports newspaper Marca, as well as Diario AS, El Pais and El Mundo, and by the news agencies EFE and Europa Press.

The Spaniard is already in Barcelona, where on Monday he tested McLaren's KERS-equipped hybrid 2008 car, the newly-named MP4-23K.

On Monday he also met with Force India officials, where the details of his test were discussed, including which sponsors will be displayed on his car, helmet and overalls.