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McLaren set to run two cars in F1 test after Brazil run cancelled

McLaren is set to run two cars in next week's two-day Abu Dhabi Pirelli Formula 1 tyre test, offering junior driver Lando Norris a chance to complete more running.

All teams have shared out Pirelli's 2018 development running this year, but McLaren's final session was cancelled due to security concerns in Interlagos a fortnight ago that included an incident involving personnel from the tyre company on the Sunday evening after the Brazilian Grand Prix.

That cancellation cost Norris a day of running, but the European Formula 3 champion is now likely to have an opportunity to rack up more mileage in an F1 car alongside race drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, both of whom are expected to sample the 2018 tyres.

Pirelli has asked FIA race director Charlie Whiting to formally approve the plan.

If it goes ahead, McLaren will have one car testing the range of 2018 tyres alongside the other nine teams, and one doing "blind" development work for Pirelli.

Although the 2018 tyres have already been defined - the Interlagos test was supposed to be the final chance to prove the harder compounds in the range - Pirelli says it still has work that McLaren can undertake.

McLaren has a car ready and engine mileage available, and it has personnel on standby to stay in Abu Dhabi to run a second car.

"We want to try to recover some of the testing we missed in Brazil," Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola told Autosport.

"Obviously we have to review the run plan, because we can't run the harder compounds here - it make no sense, so we'll be testing some different items.

"We are waiting for final confirmation from the FIA."

There is a precedent for combining 'blind' testing with regular running.

Mercedes ran two cars at the Hungaroring in August, with Valtteri Bottas working for Pirelli and George Russell on team duty.

Zdroj: autosport.com