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New McLaren to miss British GP
Barcelona, July 08:McLaren are almost certain not to be able to use their new Formula One car at the British Grand Prix.
Barcelona, July 08:McLaren are almost certain not to be able to use their new Formula One car at the British Grand Prix.
The team are testing the long-awaited MP4-18 this week at Barcelona to assess its readiness for a race debut, but boss Ron Dennis has admitted that the car is not likely to race at Silverstone on 20 July.
"My target was to introduce it at the British Grand Prix, but it will be almost impossible to do so," Dennis said at the French Grand Prix.
That means the MP4-18 will almost certainly not make its debut until the Italian Grand Prix in September at the earliest - after which there are only two more races to go.
A testing ban means McLaren will have no opportunity to improve it before the Hungarian GP, the only race in August.
McLaren's radical new car has been hit by a number of delays during its gestation and the team have always said it would not race until it was as reliable as their current race car.
That means the MP4-18 may not even race until the start of next season, while McLaren are poised to start work on its replacement, the MP4-19, which will race during 2004.
McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen will therefore have to rely on the current car, an update of last year's MP4-17, as he fights to stay in the title chase.
The Finn had led the championship from the second race of the season until Michael Schumacher's victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last month.
Bureau Report.
That means the MP4-18 will almost certainly not make its debut until the Italian Grand Prix in September at the earliest - after which there are only two more races to go.
A testing ban means McLaren will have no opportunity to improve it before the Hungarian GP, the only race in August.
McLaren's radical new car has been hit by a number of delays during its gestation and the team have always said it would not race until it was as reliable as their current race car.
That means the MP4-18 may not even race until the start of next season, while McLaren are poised to start work on its replacement, the MP4-19, which will race during 2004.
McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen will therefore have to rely on the current car, an update of last year's MP4-17, as he fights to stay in the title chase.
The Finn had led the championship from the second race of the season until Michael Schumacher's victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last month.
Bureau Report.