McLaren under pressure again on tyre stops

[Updated] Despite setting the fastest time this season for a pit stop, with a 2.4 second stop in Valencia, McLaren has had its fair share of problems this season in the pits.

And in today's British Grand Prix they were under pressure again as they were faced the the possibility of having to use a stand in on the right rear corner of the car after the regular mechanic was injured in Valencia during the safety car period stop which went wrong for the team and lost Hamilton track position to Alonso.

Apparently the Ferrari chief mechanic who operates the lights system on the Ferrari rig was standing slightly further out than normal, which meant that Hamilton had to go around him and as he came into his pit box his front wing endplate gashed the leg of the right rear gun man.

The cut was very deep, requiring stitches both internally and externally.

He did a try out this weekend and it was decided that it would be tough for him to carry to his duties, so a stand in was drafted in.

They've done extensive practice, but inevitably he had not been drilled as the first choice crew has been and this may have cost them a few tenths of a second or more.

In the end the injured mechanic took his place and McLaren performed the two fastest stops of the day.