McLaren delay Hamilton test by a day

The GP2 champion was due to begin a two-day test for McLaren at Silverstone today as the team evaluate whether to hand him a race seat in 2007.

But a mixture of damp track conditions, and the late arrival of new Mercedes-Benz engines from their Brixworth factory, has resulted in McLaren delaying the start of their test.

The team will now only conduct a shakedown at Silverstone today, with Hamilton due to complete just three single lap runs.

This will ensure the team do not go over the 50-kilometre limit that leaves their running classified as a shakedown.

Hamilton will then begin his two days of running alongside Pedro de la Rosa from tomorrow.

McLaren are reluctant to start testing later on today because they only have four days of their 36-day in-season testing limit left.

They plan to test for two days at Silverstone this week and then two days at Jerez after the Japanese Grand Prix - which Hamilton is also scheduled to do.