McLaren insists it is not neglecting 2014 Formula 1 season
McLaren insists the steps it has made to boost its performance from 2015 do not mean that it is ignoring the job it has to do for next season


The Woking-based team will start 2015 with a renewed partnership with Honda, as well as the arrival of key technical personnel like Peter Prodromou from Red Bull.
McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale is adamant, however, that although there is excitement about what is coming two years down the line, it does not mean the team is ignoring efforts for 2014.
"Not at all," he said. "If I look at the work going on now with Mercedes and the preparation for next year's car, then we have quietly been strengthening the team through the course of this year as well.
"We've been sorting ourselves out internally and, as you would expect from our organisation, there is a pipeline of things coming through.
"I would say the one story that has broken in the press [with Prodromou] is probably the furthest away, but there is a lot more happening in the short term."
Neale declined to elaborate on what those short-term plans were, but they are understood to relate to other personnel that are being recruited to help the team bounce back.
CUSTOMER ENGINES NO ISSUE
McLaren faces a final year with Mercedes in 2014 ahead of its switch to Honda the following season.
The shift to become a customer team as opposed to official works partner will lead to an inevitable change in the relationship between McLaren and Mercedes.
However, even though it means that McLaren may get no more technical assistance than the terms of its contract dictate, Neale sees no reason to be concerned that its efforts will be compromised.
"I have worked with Mercedes for a long period of time, I know the team up there," he said.

"I think when you have limited engines, we have five power units for the year, it means that in order to get a high quality part everything coming down that production line has to be the same.
"You cannot have an A model, a B model and a C model.
"Do I think in a glimmer of [data from] a dyno somewhere, the one that is a little bit better might go in one direction? I think so. But I think it will be in the noise.
"Parity is something that will give Mercedes-Benz the quality and the brand representation that they want, so I don't fear it at all.
"In terms of the service we are given, it is clear they are not going to reveal the internal workings of what is going on.
"But I have no worries about the quality of the team we have in the garage of support from the Brixworth guys.
"They really have been very good during the course of this year, and I see that continuing."

Adrian Sutil says he is likely to stay at Force India for 2014
Renault downplays fears that F1 races could be boring in 2014

Latest news
How Ferrari’s Monaco headache became its Silverstone migraine
OPINION: Ferrari won the British Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz, but it ultimately cost Charles Leclerc a chance to make a bigger dent in Max Verstappen's title lead by leaving the Monegasque out on old tyres towards the end. Like Monaco, indecision over strategy proved to be the Scuderia's biggest issue - and if the team doesn't reflect, the headache can only intensify
The five factors behind Sainz winning a British GP he’d twice lost
Formula 1 has a newest race winner, in a grand prix the victor appeared to have lost twice, only to charge back to headline a sensational and dramatic British Grand Prix. From a massive start crash to a late sprint finish, here’s how five factors saw Carlos Sainz take his maiden grand prix win
Why there was no case to answer in Aston’s latest F1 copycat saga
The appearance of a revised Aston Martin in Spain caused controversy but PAT SYMONDS explains why the FIA investigation found the Silverstone team had no case to answer
Why it's Red Bull that really leads a three-way fight so far at Silverstone
After a slow start to Friday at Silverstone, all the Formula 1 teams had to effectively cram in a day’s worth of practice into one hour. But there was still plenty to learn and while Ferrari topped the times, a three-way battle is brewing ahead of the British Grand Prix
Why the future is bright for the British GP
It wasn’t so long ago the situation looked bleak at Silverstone with the future of the British Grand Prix under threat. But a transformation has seen it restored to one of the most important races on the Formula 1 calendar, with bigger and better to come
Could mixed fortunes for F1's leading Brits turn around at Silverstone?
For the first time in many years, none of the local racers starts among the favourites for the British Grand Prix. But George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could have reasons for optimism
Verstappen exclusive: Why F1’s champion isn’t fazed by Silverstone return
Max Verstappen is the world’s number one racing driver… and he’s determined to keep it that way. Speaking exclusively to GP Racing's OLEG KARPOV, the Red Bull driver explains why he’s relishing the 2022 championship battle with Charles Leclerc – and why he’s not worried about returning to Silverstone, the scene of the biggest accident of his career last year
Why Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar can help its F1 team
On Tuesday, Red Bull laid out its plans to develop and build a new hypercar - the RB17 - penned by Adrian Newey. As the project itself sates Newey as a creative outlet, it also offers Red Bull's Formula 1 team a number of new and exciting avenues to pursue