Sergio Perez has asked McLaren to team up once again with its former long-time test and reserve driver, Pedro de la Rosa.
That is the claim of the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, reporting that 41-year-old de la Rosa is "looking for work" after HRT quietly folded in the weeks following the 2012 season finale.
Correspondent Jaime Rodriguez wrote: "De la Rosa is now in talks with several teams to resume his testing role, including Williams, Mercedes and even Ferrari."
The report said a return to McLaren is also possible, even though sections of the British team’s management did not appreciate de la Rosa’s defections to Sauber for 2010, and HRT last year.
"But the option to return to the silver team (McLaren) is not closed," Rodriguez continued. "In fact Sergio Perez has asked for de la Rosa’s return.
"The Mexican has requested the presence of a Latin face to help in his adaptation to the team."