De la Rosa not expecting McLaren return

Pedro de la Rosa may have gained many plaudits as McLaren’s test and reserve driver but he isn’t holding his breath about a return to the team…

Pedro de la Rosa may have gained many plaudits as McLaren’s test and reserve driver but he isn’t holding his breath about a return to the team.

The Spaniard is without a drive after his HRT team folded at the end of the 2012 season and is not considered to be in the running for the remaining race-seats on the grid. As such a test role seems the most likely option if he is to stay in F1, but de la Rosa is realistic about his chances of finding a home at McLaren.

“One must know how to move on and look forward, but it is true that I am a realist and everything that has happened has been very unpleasant for everyone who works at HRT,” he told Marca newspaper, “There are very few years in my career that I’ve eaten grapes knowing what I was going to do next year. So it’s hard, but it’s normal.

“I took a road and I live with my decision, so I’m not going to expect McLaren to throw its doors open wide, especially because I’ve left them twice. I’ve been unfaithful and so I must start from scratch. It is normal.

“However, I am confident that I will continue in F1 as a test driver or reserve. I think I will continue with a steering wheel in my hands, but there is no guarantee of anything.”