McLaren not yet ruling out Honda F1 test in Abu Dhabi

Hopes that the first run of a McLaren-Honda car would take place this year appeared to be dashed this week when the Japanese manufacturer's motorsport chief Yasuhisa Arai said its engine would not run until the first 2015 pre-season test at Jerez.

But McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said ahead of the Italian Grand Prix that a trial run later this year was still being considered.

"Regarding the first tests of a McLaren-Honda powered car, there is no decision yet about when and where," he said.

"This is still open and it is true that there was a comment [from Arai], but we will not give a definite answer now because we do not know exactly.

"But it is very likely that it will be before Jerez as well."

The plans for the test will likely depend on how much confidence Honda has with the reliability of its power unit by the end of November.

Boullier added: "It is true that the safe side is that we will be in Jerez with a McLaren-Honda car, but we keep the door open so that if everything is matching our schedule we can run it earlier."