McLaren convinced to be cleared in gearbox-investigation

The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team is convinced that the FIA will clear them in the 'lightweight gearbox'-matter that surfaced today at Monza. The Woking-based team issued a statement this afternoon about the investigation:

"McLaren would like to emphasise that we have acted in entirely openly, in good faith and in complete compliance with the FIA rules and we are confident that the stewards will come to the same finding.

"On Thursday of the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren voluntarily made the FIA aware that the team would be using a new reduced weight gearbox casing. Before qualifying the FIA asked McLaren to supply after the race weekend some documentation concerning the precise changes that had been made.

"This was supplied before the Turkish Grand Prix, but subsequently McLaren was advised by the FIA that in their opinion the revised gearbox needed to undergo a repeat crash test. As a result the team chose not to use the lightweight gearbox at the Turkish Grand Prix.

"On 30th August the McLaren lightweight gearbox passed both a push off test and an impact crash test without any problem under the supervision of the FIA. Consequently the team will use the lightweight gearbox at the Italian Grand Prix."