McLaren to be positioned in last garages at Bahrain

The McLaren Mercedes Team will, unlike in Australia and Malaysia, not get the fifth pitbox in the Bahrain pitlane. The organisers of the Grand Prix at Sakhir declared that McLaren will be positioned in the last set of garages as McLaren finished last in the 2007 championship.

The race's organisation was under the impression that McLaren would be in the same pitbox as in Australia, but have now been told by Formula One Management that this will not be the case.

Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Operating Officer at the BIC said to Reuters: "We understand that it is in line with the rules and regulations of the sport for McLaren, which scored no points in the 2007 constructors' championship, to take the final set of garages.

As a result, the McLaren fans will not be facing their McLaren pitbox as the organisation has arranged to place them across the 5th box, after Ferrari, BMW Sauber, Renault F1 and Williams.

"However in Bahrain we do our utmost to ensure that fans of each team get to sit opposite their favourite team's pit garages to see the action unfold. Sadly on this occasion we must apologise to McLaren fans and accept that this is force majeure."