McLaren say Kovalainen looks "interesting"

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LONDON (Reuters) - McLaren have hinted that Finland’s Heikki Kovalainen could replace departed double world champion Fernando Alonso at the Formula One team next year.

"I think Heikki looks like a very interesting driver," McLaren chief operating officer Martin Whitmarsh told the Guardian newspaper on Friday.

The 25-year-old lost his place at Renault this week when the former champions announced that Alonso would be returning from McLaren to partner Brazilian rookie Nelson Piquet junior in an all-new line-up.

The Finn, who has said he has two interesting options to remain in Formula One next year, finished second in the Japanese Grand Prix in a patchy rookie season in which he still outperformed Italian team mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

McLaren have had three previous Finnish drivers in world champions Keke Rosberg, Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen.

However, Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, the current McLaren test driver, is also a strong contender to partner 22-year-old Lewis Hamilton next season.

"Right now two people are up for the seat and I guess we will know soon who the second driver will be, in less than a week," the 36-year-old De la Rosa told Spain’s El Pais newspaper on Thursday.

The McLaren seat is the last remaining vacancy at a top team, with only Force India and struggling Super Aguri still .....continued below

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(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by John O’Brien)