Newey: MP4-17 Design Influenced by Michelin Switch

McLaren's technical director Adrian Newey has revealed that the design of the new MP4-17 has been influenced by the team's decision to switch to Michelin tyres for 2002.

The Mercedes-powered team finished in second place in last year's Constructors' Championship using the same Bridgestone tyres as World Champions Ferrari. But at the end of the year, McLaren announced they would be using Michelin rubber in the new season, in only the second year after the return of the French manufacturer to Grand Prix racing.

The lack of time to work with the new cars after the FIA introduced a ban that stopped the teams from testing until January has meant that the new MP4-17 has been designed in a more flexible way to allow changes in case the new tyres cause problems, according to Newey.

"Having had to wait until January before we started track testing meant that if we had found at that stage that we had any difficulties in suiting the car to the Michelin tyres then we would not have had a lot of time in which to react," Newey said.

"Tyres can have a considerable effect on the weight of the steering, the aerodynamics and the whole balance of the car, but there is only so much you can learn from testing in simulated conditions.

"Potentially that could have been a problem and, for that reason, we tried to build more flexibility into the car so that if difficulties did arise, we could rectify them as quickly and easily as possible."

McLaren will be among seven of the 12 Formula One teams to use Michelin tyres in 2002.