Allan McNish  Born: 29.12.69  Birthplace:Dumfries, Scotland  Team: Toyota  2006 Car Number: 25  Last Season: Didn't Race  GP Pedigree (After the US GP)  Starts: 16  Victories: 0  Poles: 0  Fastest Laps: 0  Points: 0  GP Debut: 2002, Australian GP   Five-year Stats

Allan McNish was a successful driver in sports car racing when he took up the offer in 2000 to be the development driver for the newly-emerging Toyota F1 team

McNish has bgas of experience in all types of racing having been Scottish Junior Kart champion back in 1981 and British Senior champion five years later.

He moved into cars in 1987 driving for Van Diemen in British Junior Formula Ford in 1987 and collecting a runners-up spot in his first full season.

He moved up to British Formula Three at the end of 1980s with Ralt and when he got the chance to test drive a McLaren in 1990, a Formula One career seemed just around the corner.

But despite a couple of seasons testing with the new and successful Benetton team, McNish ploughed a lonely furrow in Formula Three, often in increasingly competitive vehicles.

In a bid to get back to the front of the grid, the Scot switched to sportscar and 24-hour racing initially with success at Porsche and latterly with Toyota.

He set the Le Mans lap record in a Toyota in 1999 and impressed team bosses offered him the long-awaited chance to join the elite of Formula One

McNish did much of the development work on the new car at the team's home circuit of Paul Ricard in southern France as well as testing on 11 circuits around the world.

Formula One Career:

2002:	GP with Toyoya
2001:	Formula One test driver with Toyota

Background:

2000:	First in American Le Mans series with Audi, pole position in Le Mans 24-hour races
1999:	Lap record in Le Mans 24-hour race with Toyota
1998:	First in Daytona 24-hour race and Le Mans 24-hour race with GT Porsche
1997:	Third in FIA GT Championship with Porsche, competed in North American GT Championship
1996:	Formula One test driver with Benetton and competed in Porsche Supercup
1995:	Seventh in FIA Formula 3000 Championship with Reynard
1993-94:	Formula One test driver with Benetton
1992:	11th in FIA Formula 3000 Championship with Reynard
1991:	16th in FIA Formula 3000 Championship with Lola
1990:	4th in FIA Formula 3000 Championship with Lola
1989:	Second in British Formula Three Championship with Ralt