McLaren explains use of 2008 wing

Feb.16 (GMM) McLaren has recently been using a 2008-spec rear wing on its new MP4-24 as a "reference point", test driver Pedro de la Rosa insists.

At times during its Portimao debut, and then again last week at Jerez, the 2009 car conspicuously featured the lower and wider wing of the title-winning MP4-23.

Throughout the wing anomaly, the explanations have been varied. Initially, at the wet Portuguese test, the McLaren press office said the 2008 wing was used "as a precautionary measure to increase downforce" in the conditions.

Last week at Jerez, when the European weather had improved, McLaren said the 2008 wing was used because the team is currently "without a high-downforce 2009-spec" piece.

Latterly, it was explained that the Jerez wing is actually "a hybrid-spec" wing "in order to more effectively simulate expected downforce loads". The team added that "a raft of new components" will appear at the next winter test.

In the pages of Spain's Diario Sport, de la Rosa said of the recent reappearance of the 2008 wing: "We wanted a comparison point, a reference, to compare (this year's data) with the data of last year.

"In any case," he added, "we are always using proper aerodynamic loads, (it is) not to deceive or to waste time."