Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMcLaren

Alonso handed first drive of MP4-30

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Fernando Alonso will drive on the opening day of pre-season testing for McLaren in Jerez, the team has announced.

McLaren will be debuting the Honda-powered MP4-30 at the Circuito de Jerez, following a disappointing test for the new power unit in Abu Dhabi at the end of last season using a modified 2014 car.

With Alonso returning to the team following a tumultuous year in 2007, McLaren has handed the double world champion the first public laps in the car on February 1 over team-mate Jenson Button. Alonso will drive on the first and third days of testing in Jerez, with Button behind the wheel on January 2 and 4.

The MP4-30 itself will be launched online by McLaren on January 29.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.