McLaren 'hopeful' over ECU tweaks

The FIA, Formula 1's ruling body, announced this week that from the Valencia race, teams will not be allowed to change engine maps between qualifying and the race, a move aimed at stopping outfits from running an extreme engine map for the grid-deciding session.

Suggestions are that the changes are aimed particularly at slowing Red Bull Racing down, although Renault admitted it will affect all teams.

Whitmarsh is hoping the changes help his team, although he is aware all its rivals will have worked hard to make sure the effect of the changes is minimised.

"There are some changes this weekend in that the FIA will enforce a strict parc ferme regulation, which will mean that the car as qualified will be the one that races," Whitmarsh said during a Vodafone phone-in on Thursday.

"Based on what I have just told you we should be hopeful on that. But I think we have got to assume that everyone has been working hard.

"I think we have got a few developments that we are going to bring to the race. We have got two very motivated drivers and we will do our best to win there. We've won at most circuits obviously, it would be nice to win at Valencia."

He also conceded the ban on off-throttle blown diffusers from the British Grand Prix was still unclear, and reckons clarification is still needed.

"Well I think it's still a little bit up in the air. In the face of it we will be making those changes which will be necessary by the FIA. I think it is quite a complex area and the precise characteristics of the parameters haven't been decided yet but I think there has been some clarifications.

"But my sense is that the teams are all still talking to the FIA and we will have the clarification over the course of the next 10 days or so. But mechanically we will continue to develop the car and aerodynamically... but the engine mapping will certainly change and we will change it in accordance with the guidelines once they are clear."