McLaren completed a day of filming on Monday for ‘promotional purposes’ at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona ahead of the second pre-season test at the same circuit.
The team struggled to put mileage on its MP4-30 during the first test in Jerez a fortnight ago, mainly because of technical issues with its Honda power unit.
Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso completed just 79 laps between them, compared to Mercedes which lapped the Spanish circuit 515 times.
The Japanese manufacturer has introduced a raft of engine upgrades ahead of the second test in an attempt to cure the issues which hampered their reliability.
The move is likely a strategic decision, with the team opting to use its filming day to get some early mileage on the MP4-30 ahead of the four-day test which kicks off on Thursday. It also gives them two days to resolve any new problems which may have arisen.
Button was behind the wheel for the days running where it’s believed the car ran more reliably than in Jerez, though the team haven’t confirmed the distance it completed.
Teams are limited to two filming days for promotional purposes and can only complete 100km on each of those days. They are also speed limited and must use Pirelli demonstration tyres.
