Kovalainen Frustrated By Rain In Portugal

Kovalainen had been due to drive the MP4-24 at the Algarve circuit after world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton tested on Wednesday.

Finland's Heikki Kovalainen must wait until next month for a first taste of his new McLaren after bad weather wiped out the final day of testing in southern Portugal on Thursday.

Kovalainen had been due to drive the MP4-24 at the Algarve circuit after world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton tested on Wednesday.

However rain and fog grounded the medical helicopter and forced organisers to close the circuit in the interests of safety.

McLaren's next test is at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain on Feb 10. The Formula One season starts in Australia on March 29, with testing then banned until the end of the year.

The bad weather also prevented Kazuki Nakajima from trying out the new Williams for the first time, with the Japanese completing just one installation lap before the session was red-flagged.

Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso also spent the day sheltering in the team garages after testing on Wednesday.