McLaren sure to return to winning ways

The Woking-based team are facing their first win-less campaign in a decade, and the pressure will be on them to improve next year thanks to the arrival of Fernando Alonso.

But despite their disappointing campaign, team boss Ron Dennis is confident that rule stability over the winter will be a key factor in helping them make the necessary improvements to move forward.

"Winning is not easy but we have not forgotten or lost an understanding of what it takes to win," said Dennis. "We are pushing hard for next season as we do for every season, and what we like is rule stability. It is what I have said so many times in the past.

"We don't like the constraints on engine development, but at least we have time to optimise it within the constraints of the regulations between now and March.

"Obviously the car can be developed during the season, but we have to make sure that we hit the season running with a good package."

McLaren's partner Mercedes-Benz have already made the first steps towards the 2007 package, with a revised engine that was introduced at last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Although it is not a major improvement over the previous specification power units used so far this year, it has been designed for optimum performance at the 19,000rpm limit that engines will race with from next season. It means the full benefits of the engine will not be felt until 2007.

Mercedes-Benz Norbert Haug is confident that the team have what it takes to fight for the world title next season.

"I am 100 percent convinced that this team has all the experiences to do a good job," he said. "If you look back on the last 10 years, if you count the victories, if you count the championships together, Ferrari was more successful but no one else was more successful in that decade than us.

"We missed very closely a couple of world championship wins, in 2003 and 2005, and all in all we could have done better, but we certainly are not bad. The most important thing is that we are absolutely in a position to further improve and we are convinced of that. I think we have all the ingredients to do so."