Fernando Alonso: McLaren driver to return for Malaysian GP

1. 
   
2. The double world champion missed the season opener in Australia on 15 March to recover from concussion suffered in an accident in pre-season testing.
3. McLaren said in a statement Alonso, 33, felt his steering go heavy before the crash, which is so far unexplained.
4. The team will fit the car with an extra sensor to gather data.
5. McLaren said the decision was made following Alonso's visit to the McLaren factory last week, when he drove the simulator and went over the data from the accident with the team's engineers.
6. "While there was nothing evident in the extensive car telemetry data, nor anything abnormal in the subsequent reconstructions and laboratory tests, Fernando recalls a sense of 'heavy' steering prior to the accident," McLaren said.
7. "Consequently, the team has fitted an additional sensor to the car, to increase our data capture.
8. "Fernando is very much looking forward to getting back into the car and making a substantial contribution to our collective efforts with Honda, to accelerate the required improvement to our on-track performance."
9. Alonso has decided to fly to Malaysia for the race following medical tests by three eminent doctors at Cambridge University on Sunday.
10. His manager would not confirm Alonso had passed the tests and McLaren made no reference to them in their statement.
11. However, the driver was given the all-clear and now faces only the official test by governing body the FIA's medical delegate and the Sepang circuit's chief medical officer before being allowed to race.
12. It is considered highly unlikely that he would fail these having passed the tests in Cambridge, which are also part of the FIA's programme for drivers returning from injury.
13. "Since his Barcelona testing accident, Fernando has followed a rigorous, specialised training programme, designed and closely monitored by leading sports scientists, to ensure his safe and timely return to racing," McLaren said.

Tweet