New Renault to debut on 20 January

Renault's 2009 car, the R29, will make its test track debut on January 20, team driver Fernando Alonso said at a sponsor event on Tuesday. He also declared at the Madrid charity event, organised by Renault title sponsor ING for UNICEF, that he is scheduled to drive the 2008 car with slick tyres at Jerez on December 10.

Alonso pointed out that the January car, to feature a KERS system for the first time, will be very different to the final configuration that will be taken to Melbourne in late March. "The later you get the car ready, the better," he told reporters. "In fact, the car we will unveil on January 20 will have nothing to do with the car that arrives in the first race."