KEY POINTS:
WOKING - McLaren have asked Renault to release double Formula One motor racing world champion Fernando Alonso from his contract early so that he can test for them in Spain next week.
McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh today said he was still hoping the 25-year-old Spaniard could make his McLaren debut this year.
"Being frank about it, we'd like him in the car as quickly as we can," he said.
"After this week there's one more test and we'd like Renault to recognise everything that he's done for them and release him to come and test for us next week.
"We have requested it and if they said yes, we could do it."
Alonso, who agreed last year after winning his first title to switch to the Mercedes-powered team in 2007, has already had a seat fitting for McLaren but remains under contract to Renault until the end of the year.
"We're not counting on it (Alonso testing this year), but if the opportunity arose we'd love to do it. If they say no again, then we'll respect it but we'll keep asking until there's no more chance," Whitmarsh said.
Alonso partners British rookie Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in an all-new lineup following the departure of Finland's Kimi Raikkonen to Ferrari as Michael Schumacher's replacement and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya to Nascar in the United States.
Ferrari have no plans to test Raikkonen before the new year and Whitmarsh said there had been no request from the championship runners-up to do so.
Former champions McLaren failed to win a race this year, for the first time in a decade, and finished third overall in the championship.
- REUTERS
