McLaren enter F1 pre-season testing with new driver Carlos Sainz

Barcelona, Feb. 17 (IANS): New McLaren driver Carlos Sainz of Spain is set to hit the circuit here during next week’s first test of 2019 with the recently unveiled MCL34 race car.

On Thursday, McLaren launched its car for the 2019 Formula One (F1) season at its technology centre in Woking, England, as Sainz was on hand for the event.

The 24-year-old replaced two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard who retired from Formula One at the end of last season, reports Efe news.

Montmelo, the 4.655-kilometre venue for the May 12 Spanish Grand Prix, is to host the first two pre-season tests, scheduled for February 18-21 and February 26-March 1.

Before the pre-season gets underway on Monday, Alfa Romeo, which has become an F1 team again after a deal with Sauber to compete in 2019, will present its driver pairing of Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy and Kimi Raikkonen of Finland.

Raikkonen is heating up to race again for the team that gave him his debut as a professional F1 racer in 2001, and he rejoined it on a swap move that saw former Sauber driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco replacing him at Ferrari, teaming up with Sebastian Vettel of Germany.

The 39-year-old Raikkonen is scheduled to get behind the wheel on the first day of the pre-season testing, as will do Vettel, who has four F1 titles under his belt which he won between 2010 and 2013 with Red Bull.