From GMM
The McLaren Formula 1 team has dispatched a team member on a 9,000-kilometre race from the team’s Technology Centre in Woking, Britain to the circuit of Suzuka in Japan.
He must reach the Japanese circuit in about 21 hours, in order to beat the parc ferme deadline so that Lewis Hamilton can be back up and running with the MP5-25's new rear wing for qualifying and the race.
Hamilton broke the new wing's left end fence in his morning practice crash, and the only other version in Japan is fitted to Jenson Button's sister car.
When Hamilton returned to the track with nine minutes of the afternoon session remaining, his car was fitted with the old wing as he drove to the 13th quickest time.
At the same time, a team member had been dispatched from the UK to bring new endplates to Suzuka in his hand luggage.
"We can repair the wing with the new end plates," team boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
At the track, Hamilton's mechanics are also facing a long night. The 25-year-old's chassis has also been damaged, and – after a patch-up job for the few afternoon practice laps - a new car will be built up overnight.
The McLaren Formula 1 team has dispatched a team member on a 9,000-kilometre race from the team’s Technology Centre in Woking, Britain to the circuit of Suzuka in Japan.
He must reach the Japanese circuit in about 21 hours, in order to beat the parc ferme deadline so that Lewis Hamilton can be back up and running with the MP5-25's new rear wing for qualifying and the race.
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| The damaged McLaren MP4-25 of Lewis Hamilton. (Photo: WRI2) |
Hamilton broke the new wing's left end fence in his morning practice crash, and the only other version in Japan is fitted to Jenson Button's sister car.
When Hamilton returned to the track with nine minutes of the afternoon session remaining, his car was fitted with the old wing as he drove to the 13th quickest time.
At the same time, a team member had been dispatched from the UK to bring new endplates to Suzuka in his hand luggage.
"We can repair the wing with the new end plates," team boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
At the track, Hamilton's mechanics are also facing a long night. The 25-year-old's chassis has also been damaged, and – after a patch-up job for the few afternoon practice laps - a new car will be built up overnight.