McLaren-Mercedes have three very good reasons to seek victory at the European Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Anglo-German team needs to rebound from losing the last two races to Kimi Raikkonen of rival Ferrari, it is the home race for Mercedes and they want to prove that an ongoing sabotage saga has not done them harm.
McLaren-Mercedes lead the constructors’ standings and the drivers’ list.
Sunday’s race comes four days before McLaren have to appear before ruling body FIA on July 26, with a points penalty among the sanctions if they are found guilty in the sabotage affair.
There has been media speculation whether team officials were aware of classified Ferrari material given to their former chief designer, Mike Coughlan, by ex-Ferrari mechanic Nigel Stepney.
But McLaren insisted again on Monday: ”The fact that he held at his home unsolicited materials from Ferrari was not known to any other member of the team prior to the July 3 2007.”
Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug said the issue has not affected the team and the drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
”Definitely not. Our team has nothing to do with it, and everyone on the team knows that,” Haug told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
”It makes us even more motivated to show that everything we are capable of comes from us. No one of us wants a trophy that is not a product of our ideas. It would be worth nothing.”
Haug also hopes for a good result because the team’s previous two home races in Spain (Alonso) and Britain (Hamilton, McLaren) went to Ferrari.
Sunday’s race comes 80 years after Mercedes driver Rudolf Caracciola won the first GP on the famed Nurburgring course in 1927.
”A home win at the home race would naturally be the greatest thing,” said Haug.
”The Nurburgring and its history is synonymous with the brand and Mercedes-Benz’s motor-sport history after Rudolf Caracciola won the opening race here 80 years ago, and the silver arrow was born at the Eifel race 73 years ago.”
However, Haug admitted that improvement was necessary in order to get back on the winning track on a course where Mika Hakkinen was the last McLaren driver to win, back in 1998.
Raikkonen came famously close in 2005 during his McLaren term, but had to retire in leading position on the final lap. Alonso won last year, but then in a Renault.
”The truth is that we have won more Formula One races on other tracks than at the traditional silver-arrow course. But we want to change this as soon as possible,” Haug insisted. — Sapa-dpa