McNish hired as Renault tester.

Allan McNish has been signed by the Renault F1 team as one of two test drivers for the 2003 season and will be joining regular drivers Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso at Grand Prix weekends next year thanks to the new Friday testing rules.

For the 2003 Formula One season, The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team has decided to take up the option of two hours of testing on the Friday morning of each Grand Prix weekend, as outlined in the Heathrow Agreement of December 2002.

This decision has led the Team to select two test drivers for the 2003 season, Allan McNish and Franck Montagny.

Scotsman McNish, with his proven technical expertise, will be testing alongside official drivers Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso during the Friday practice session while young Frenchman Montagny, chosen following an evaluation last month at Jerez, Spain, will be given the opportunity to fully develop his natural promise by testing for the team on the remaining ten days.

"Allan McNish has carried out a very professional job in the past and his experience and technical ability will enhance the efforts of our race drivers," said team principal Flavio Briatore. "The remaining ten test days should, however, give us a chance to run a developing young driver and, after running a number of drivers before Christmas, all of whom did a very good job, we have decided that Frank Montagny is ideally suited to back up our testing effort and provide some relief to our race drivers."