 Hamilton is in contention for a race seat in 2007 |
McLaren have decided against giving rising British star Lewis Hamilton his Grand Prix debut this year. The team will retain Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa for the season-ending Brazilian race at Interlagos on 22 October.
Hamilton, 21, tested for the team this week alongside De la Rosa at Jerez in Spain, where he was second fastest behind Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.
Both men are in contention for the second McLaren seat alongside world champion Fernando Alonso in 2007.
Finn Kimi Raikkonen is leaving the team to move to Ferrari as replacement for Michael Schumacher, who is retiring after Brazil.
 De la Rosa tested at Jerez alongside Hamilton this week |
De la Rosa, who has been McLaren's reserve driver for several years, was promoted to the race team in July following Juan Pablo Montoya's decision to announce a move to the US Nascar stock-car series next year. "After the disappointing race we had in Suzuka, I am looking forward to getting back on track and working with the team to finish the year on a high," De la Rosa said in a team preview.
"The test in Jerez this week has been positive, with a lot of the focus on tyres with Michelin and as a result we feel confident we will be able to get more out of them at Interlagos."
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