Newey Sees McLaren Renewal

I was interested to see that Adrian Newey, the Red Bull technical director, said at the team's launch in Barcelona on Friday that the team he left at the end of 2005, McLaren-Mercedes, would return to strength this year, according to a report by Reuters.

"In Fernando (Alonso) they have perhaps the most proven driver at the moment given Michael (Schumacher)'s retirement," Newey, who joined Red Bull last year, told reporters. "Probably some of the things that hindered them last year, the direction that tire development took and possibly the way that the engine rules were, have now fallen into their hands. So I would imagine that they will be very competitive this year."

My own hunch has been that with the changes at both Renault and Ferrari, McLaren will return to winning races and challenging for the title, after last year was their first year without a victory since 1996.