Chinese driver eyes F1 grid

A Chinese driver hopes he is wheel to wheel with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in a few years. Cheng Congfu, already associated with McLaren, says his formula one debut could be just 'five or six years' away.

''It's quite possible,'' the 21-year-old told the China Daily newspaper, ''but I think if there is a Chinese driver (in F1), that will be me.''

Beijing-born Congfu finished eleventh in the British Formula Renault championship. He has already tested a McLaren, at Brno (Czech Republic) back in September '04. Dutch-based Chinese Ho-Ping Tung ran a Williams two years ago.

''What (Cheng) needs is time and more races,'' said former McLaren driver, Red Bull's grand prix veteran David Coulthard.

McLaren 'F1 CEO' Martin Whitmarsh adds: ''He has a long way to go. '''He has speed but he needs to be polished by high-level racing.''