Thursday, April 23, 2009

Mercedes and McLaren engagement under review

The future of Mercedes' Formula One engagement is constantly under review, Norbert Haug has admitted.

"At least once a year the F1 project is presented to the executive committee and decided for the future," the Stuttgart marque's racing boss said in interview with the SID news agency.

The report said one possibility for Mercedes, this year powering six of the 20 cars on the grid, would be to focus on being a mere engine supplier.

Honda pulled out of the sport at the end of last year, and observers wonder if the economic recession and slump in new car sales will convince another carmaker to follow suit.

"There is no special situation for Formula One, nobody can predict in this crisis what the future brings," Haug admitted.

Haug admits the 'lie-gate' affair, to be probed by the World Motor Sport Council next week, is not good for Mercedes' image. It is clear the marque is therefore not entirely happy about the current shape of the McLaren collaboration.

"We stand with our partner (McLaren) and the current view is that in 2010 we will still be together. But the crucial functions of the team are not engaged by Mercedes," he added.

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