McLaren Committed to MP4-17D Development

McLaren today fuelled suggestions that they will not use their new MP4-18 machine in a race this year when team insiders said they have ditched it from their testing schedule for Monza next week.

The British team shot back into the race for the World Championship on Sunday when Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen finished second behind winner Fernando Alonso in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

He is now just two points behind current leader Michael Schumacher and McLaren have decided to concentrate on improving their current car rather than risk the chance of failure in the final three races of the year.

"We are focused on improving the performance of the current car and engine package at Monza and we are confident we'll be making a step there," said team boss Ron Dennis. "We have an upgrade to the 17D that is clearly designed to enhance that car's competitiveness.

"We'll be testing it at Jerez and it's true to say we are concentrating our efforts on the 17D."

Ferrari, who were overtaken by Williams-BMW in the Constructors' Championship last weekend after claiming just one point from the Hungaroring race, will undertake an intensive testing programme next week. They will run cars at both Monza and Fiorano with race drivers Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello and test drivers Luca Badoer and Felipe Massa as they attempt to halt their slide as the season comes to a climax.

McLaren had been due to hand the MP4-18 its race debut in Canada in June but have suffered several problems in testing and were hampered by an enforced six-week testing ban that will end next week.

They will still test the car, with Spanish test driver Pedro de la Rosa at Jerez, but believe they have enough development parts for the MP4-17D to stay with Ferrari and Williams in the Championship run-in.

"We are very aware that they (Ferrari) have a highly intensive test scheduled for Monza but we will be doing a lot ourselves," said Dennis. "We will be bringing a performance step to the last three races. Whether that step will provide the drivers with enough of a step to challenge at the remaining races we'll have to wait and see.

"But we're certainly not giving up on the World Championship. Anything can happen."