McLaren will not announce a new title sponsor when it launches its new car on January 24th, according to managing director Jonathan Neale.
The outfit had been expected to confirm who would replace Vodafone as their title sponsor in December, but that announcement was delayed until late-January.
However Neale has revealed that no sponsor will be announced at all, hinting that McLaren will run without a title sponsor for the first time since 2006.
“We won’t be announcing a new title partner when we launch our new MP4-29 on January 24th,” he told Pitpass, “but our roster of sponsors remains the envy of the pitlane.”
The news could prompt fears that McLaren’s 2014 budget may take a huge hit, considering Vodafone paid upwards of £45 million ($75m) per season to have its name on their cars, but Neale insists their budget is larger than ever before.
“I’m pleased to say that McLaren Racing will have a larger operational budget available to it in 2014 than it’s had in any previous season in McLaren’s history,” he said. “We’re in good shape.”
The shortfall is likely being plugged by Honda. The Japanese company will become McLaren’s exclusive engine supplier in 2015 and the team will be renamed McLaren-Honda.
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