Despite having struck a deal to occupy the fifth garage spot after the spy scandal last year, the McLaren team are to have the lowest pit garage in Bahrain for reasons yet unknown.
It was allegedly, Bernie Ecclestone that agreed to spare McLaren the indignity of having the furthest garage, allowing the team to continue with the privilege of access to the first-class facilities this year. However, organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix have revealed that Formula 1 management has ordered the promoters to arrange for McLaren to occupy the garage next to the Force India team.
The McLaren Group is part owned by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, which is wholly owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain. In a presse release from the Bahrain International Circuit it stated “Originally it was planned that the team would take its place in the fifth set of garages, as it did for the Malaysian and Australian Grand Prix. However, late notice arrived to announce that instead of garages 15-18, the Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team would take up residence in garages 33-35. Traditionally the pit lane allocation is decided on the previous season’s points but McLaren scored no points in the constructor’s championship despite it’s drivers finishing second and third in the drivers title battle behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen .”
Shaikh Salman bin isa Al Khalifa, Chief Operating Officer of the BIC said “We understand that it is in line with the rules and regulations of the sport for McLaren, which scored no points in the 2007 constructor’s championship, to take the final set of garages.” He added “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.”
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