Important test at Portimao comes to a close for McLaren

The conclusion of three days’ testing at the brand new Autodromo Internacional do Algarve circuit in Portugal and the final day of testing for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team in 2008. The final outing of the year allowed the test team to significantly improve its understanding of an interim 2009 aerodynamic package and KERS device.

Both more reliable and more powerful, drivers have already begun refining the utilisation of KERS under braking and Pedro finished the test feeling very confident in the big steps taken with the system. Similarly, the engineers have gained considerable insight into optimal employment of KERS around a lap.

With no testing scheduled until late January, the entire Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team now turns all its efforts towards the development of MP4-24 and its launch, in Woking, on Friday January 16.