Zoom 2008 rear wing still on the 2009 MP4-24 at Jerez

A less than shining day of testing for McLaren on Wednesday has raised alarm bells for the title hopes of reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The 23-year-old Briton, however, who at one stage returned to the Jerez pitlane with the rear of his MP4-24 on fire – something denied by the team - did not seem troubled as he met with the press while his Mercedes-powered car was fixed.

Hamilton, whose car ‘overheated’ according to Germany's Bild newspaper, answered.

In the field of eight 2009-specification cars, however, Hamilton was quicker only than Adrian Sutil's similarly Mercedes-powered Force India at the end of the day, and a full 1. 3 seconds off the pace of Wednesday's quickest driver, Fernando Alonso in the Renault.

Moreover, the Woking-based team has again reverted to using a 2008-specification wide and low rear wing, despite two different 2009 wings being fitted to the MP4-24 earlier this week in Spain.

E.A, Source: GMM
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