F1: Prodrive to race 2008 McLaren - report

[Rory Phoulorie]

Friday, 17 August 2007

Aug.15 (GMM) In Red Bull-Toro Rosso style, McLaren and F1's twelfth team Prodrive next year could use essentially the same formula one chassis. Although news about David Richards' incoming team has been sparing in recent times, it is reported this week that Prodrive is still on track to debut in Melbourne next March. And the specialist German magazine Auto Motor und Sport claims that with three substantial Prodrive sponsors now on board, McLaren is now working closely with Richards' outfit to put together effectively a 'B' Mercedes-powered team. To simplify the cross-over between the two teams, and because of time constraints, Prodrive is likely to run the 2008-specification MP4-23 single seater, probably with an identical Mercedes-Benz V8 power plant to its works sister, as the new privateer-friendly rules will probably allow. Alongside McLaren test drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett as possible Prodrive racers, meanwhile, is Paffett's French-Canadian DTM colleague Bruno Spengler, the magazine added.

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