McLaren confirm Alesi returning for test drive

Italian Jean Alesi will return to the Formula One cockpit with McLaren-Mercedes for a test drive just five months after retiring from grand prix racing, the team confirmed on Monday.

Alesi will race for Mercedes in the German Touring Car (DTM) championship this year, but has been given the chance to take to the wheel of a McLaren in what is believed to be a one-off test.

"He will test for McLaren," a team spokesperson confirmed after the news was leaked. "We will release details soon."

The drive is thought to be planned for early March and will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona.

Alesi was present in Barcelona at the launch of the new McLaren MP4-17 last month but reports say he will not be driving that car and will have to make do with last year's model.

At the Japanese Grand Prix last year French-Sicilian Alesi completed a 13-year grand prix career, when he drove his final race with the Jordan team.

He spent five seasons with Ferrari between 1991 and 1995, but in his 201 races in Formula One he achieved only one win.

During his time with Michelin-shod Prost in the early part of last year, he gained knowledge of French tyres. That could be useful for McLaren, who switched from Bridgestone at the end of 2001.