McLaren confident despite debut failures

With a spate of Mercedes-Benz engine failures in 2005 wrecking Kimi Raikkonen's title challenge, there has been an increased focus within the team to ensure that there is no repeat of that scenario this year.

And despite things getting off to a far from trouble-free start at Barcelona in Spain this morning, when Pedro de la Rosa's running in the MP4-21 was cut short after 19 laps with an engine problem, McLaren's F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh has said he is not unduly concerned about the team's position at the moment.

"We as a team are very determined to win races and win world championships," he said. "Last year with 10 wins it was frustrating to come away without a world championship, and perhaps unusual.

"We have looked at all parts of the programme, and we have to look at where we have Achilles Heels. We will see when we get to Bahrain whether we have been successful or not, but there is a relatively confident air in the team at the moment and we have to see if it is maintained through the year."

Whitmarsh has refused to single out engine supplier Mercedes-Benz as the key area of concern for the team after the problems of last year, but he admitted that the team had to address the mistakes they made in 2005.

"We are working hard in every area," he said. "I am not going to single out any element, but we as a team had the quickest car for much of the year (in 2005) and we didn't win the world championship.

"We have to address that and I am concerned when we make mistakes. I am concerned when we don't realise our expectations but we are working hard as a team.

"When people see the car in close-up, I think they will see it is the best car we have ever produced in terms of detail design and we are very confident.

"With regards to the engine, it is a completely new configuration. It is an exciting package, and we have between now and Bahrain to ensure we have the performance and reliability to get the job done."

McLaren rolled out the MP4-21 at the Spanish track today, with de la Rosa setting the third fastest time, one second behind BMW's Jacques Villeneuve and some two tenths of a second slower than teammate Gary Paffett, who was driving in a hybrid MP4-20, fitted with a V10 engine.

Speaking about the early impressions following the first day of testing with the MP4-21, Whitmarsh said: "The early signs were as promising as you can tell on a cold, slippery track, but I think everyone feels comfortable with the work we have done so far.

"Those who have experienced things like this before know it is too early to make some big pronouncements."