Championship Situation to Affect MP4-18 Debut

McLaren-Mercedes boss Ron Dennis suggested today that his team could be forced to delay the new MP4-18 machine even more if the World Championship becomes closer in the coming races.

Dennis said the new machine, which has been delayed since its planned introduction at the Canadian Grand Prix in June, is "close" to being ready for its race introduction.

McLaren are now 23 points behind leaders Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship but Finn Kimi Raikkonen moved to within seven points of Drivers' Championship leader Michael Schumacher with third place on Sunday.

"If the Championship for, some quirky reason, does unfold quicker than we anticipate then that will influence our decision," said Dennis. "But the primary goal is to finish races. It's going to be a close World Championship, and it's certainly going to be a Championship that will be determined by finishing.

"If you don't finish the mathematics now are heavily stacked against you. Introducing anything onto a racing car, or a new car in its entirety, has risk, and this is all about balancing risk throughout the balance of the season. We had a car that was respectable today."

Finn Raikkonen finished behind Brazilian Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello and Colombian Williams-BMW driver Juan Pablo Montoya at Silverstone on Sunday but, crucially, one point ahead of Schumacher.

Dennis believes conditions played into the hands of Ferrari and Bridgestone but said: "I'm sure that we'll be able to match their pace in the remaining races. Here it was cooler in ambient temperature to the races we've recently enjoyed."