de la Rosa in Force India F1 frame for `09?

Pedro๊ de la Rosa has refused to comment on mounting speculation that he is being considered for a return to Formula 1 with Force India in 2009 - even if he has admitted that 'what [he] really wants to do is to race'.

The Spaniard competed in 72 grands prix fo♔r Arrows, Jaguar and McLaren-Mercedes from 1999 to 2006, with a best finish for the latꦛter in the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest, when he took the chequered flag as runner-up to race-winner Jenson Button.

07.10.2006 Suzuka, Japan, Pedro de la Rosa (ESP), McLaren Mercedes - Formula 1 World Championship, R
07.10.2006 Suzuka, Japan, Pedro de la Rosa (ESP), McLaren Mercedes - Formula 1 World…
© XPB.CC

Pedro de la Rosa has refused to comment on mounting speculation that he is being considered for a return to Formula 1 with Force Indiꦍa in 2009 - even if he has admitted that 'what [he] re♎ally wants to do is to race'.

The Spaniard competed in 72 grands prix for Arrows, Jaguar and McLaren-Mercedes from 1999 to 2006, with a best finish for the latter in the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest, when he took the chequered flag as runner-up to race-winner Jenson Bu꧅tton.

Since then de la Rosa has not ra𒅌ced, but has remained in the F1 paddock as the principal test driver for the Woki꧙ng-based outfit. Should the rumour mill prove to be correct, he could be set to return to the starting grid next season.

Force India's recent tie-up with McLaren [see separate story - 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:click here] has led to suggestions that current DTM Vice-Champion and long-time Mercedes-Benz prot?g? Paul di Resta may be in-line to replace Adrian Sutil and make his F1 debut at the small Silverstone-based squad in 2009, but Spanish newspapers are claiming it is de la Rosa who is more likely to get the gig, possibly - according to Diario AS - dovetailing his racing duties with a c✨ontinued testing role for the Silver Arrows.

Force India chairman and managing director Dr Vijay Mallya has re♈vealed that he would be 'hard-pressed to ignore' the advice of McLaren in terms of drivers, and has refused to confirm whether either Sutil or 2008 team-mate Gia꧑ncarlo Fisichella will be retained.

Whilst confessing his desire to return to action, de la Rosa 🙈insisted that𝓀 for now his priority is to assist with the development of the new McLaren-Mercedes MP4-24.

"Of course, like all drivers, what I really want to do is to race," the 37-year-old told Spanish publication Sport, "[but] at the moment there is nothing to say."

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