Jean Alesi, who ended his 13 year F1 career driving for Jordan from the 2001 Hungarian GP to the end of last season, will be getting back behind the wheel of an F1 car again.

But the Frenchman, who competed in 201 grands prix, winning just once, in Canada in 1995, will not be racing. After this year's Australian GP, he will test drive McLaren's hybrid MP4-16B car. Jean was a conspicuous figure at the McLaren team's launch in Barcelona and, with a Mercedes drive in this year's German DTM Touring Car series, the opportunity to get his views on the Woking based team's F1 car was something of a foregone conclusion. 

"I am looking forward to sitting behind the wheel of an F1 car again," said Jean. "But I have no plans to return to Formula One competition. I am 100% committed to the DTM with Mercedes-Benz." McLaren's current test driver Alex Wurz might feel under threat, although team MD Martin Whitmarsh has stated that Alesi's drive will be a one-off.  "Jean has extensive F1 experience and we are pleased to have this opportunity to benefit from his knowledge," said Whitmarsh.