Chinese youngster in McLaren test.
McLaren has become the second team to give Chinese driver a taste of Formula One, according to reports.
With China due to host its first ever Grand Prix at the end of the month, the team has elected to follow the lead of Williams, who gave Ho-Pin Tung his chance to drive its car last year, by getting a young Chinese driver behind the wheel.
McLaren has become the second team to give Chinese driver a taste of Formula One, according to reports.
With China due to host its first ever Grand Prix at the end of the month, the team has elected to follow the lead of Williams, who gave Ho-Pin Tung his chance to drive its car last year, by getting a young Chinese driver behind the wheel.
Now, according to Reuters, British Formula Renault driver Cheng Congfu has been given the chance to test for McLaren. The youngster, who is supported by the Team McLaren Mercedes Formula One team as part of its driver development programme, made his FRenault debut for Manor Motorsport last season and is currently inside the top twenty in the standings.
He completed five laps in last year's Mercedes-McLaren MP4-17D at Brno in the Czech Republic at the weekend to become the first driver born in mainland China to drive a Formula One car - Tung having been born in Holland.
"It was the most exciting moment of my life as I pulled out of the garage," Cheng said afterwards. "It has been an ambition of mine for as long as I can remember to get behind the wheel of a Formula One car and I wasn't disappointed in any way."
The first Chinese Grand Prix takes place on September 26.
