Pedro gets the nod at McLaren

Pedro de la Rosa replaced Juan Pablo Montoya at McLaren at last weekend’s French Grand Prix, and will remain as Kimi Raikkonen’s team-mate for the rest of the 2006 Formula One campaign.

McLaren wasted no time showing the controversial Colombian the door following his decision to quit for the American NASCAR series at the end of the season.

Spaniard de la Rosa is no stranger to McLaren or F1. He completed 64 races for Arrows and Jaguar between 1999 and 2002 – and since then he’s been test driver for the Surrey-based team.

Last weekend’s round at Magny-Cours was de la Rosa’s second for McLaren; last year, he finished fifth in Bahrain when deputising for an injured Montoya. “Of course, I am thrilled to have been given this chance,” he said. “I am confident I can win important championship points for the team.”

While Montoya now has more time to prepare for his NASCAR future following his dismissal, the move marks the end of a largely unfulfilled F1 career. The South American caused a stir when joining Williams in 2001, and initially was highly prized by McLaren. However, despite picking up seven race victories, Montoya never really lived up to expec­tations, and left under a cloud after some erratic performances.

His final race in F1 saw him crash into the back of team-mate Raikkonen on the opening lap of the US Grand Prix – a manoeuvre which resulted in both McLarens being forced to retire.