McLaren is flying an engineer from London to Japan with a replacement wing for Lewis Hamilton's car following his crash during Friday's practice session at Suzuka.
He must reach the Japanese circuit early on Saturday in order to beat the parc ferme deadline so Hamilton can be back up and running with the MP5-25's new rear wing for qualifying and the race. He broke the new wing's left endfence and the only other version in Japan is fitted to Jenson Button's sister car.
When Hamilton returned to the track with nine minutes of the afternoon session remaining, his car was fitted with the old wing as he drove to the 13th quickest time.
At the track, Hamilton's mechanics are also facing a long night as his chassis was also damaged, and after a patch-up job for the few afternoon practice laps a new car will be built up overnight.
There's the official answer, from ESPNF1. If they knew the car was going to be "rebuilt" in the evening, why would they send him out at the end of FP2? Even Lewis admitted all he really accomplished was 4 timed laps that were still just feeler laps for the track. Was there no risk of furthing damaging the car by sending it out with this patch up job they did, however intense of a patch it was?
Also anyone have any pictures of the old wing they put on Lewis' car? Would this not require the old sharkfin/FDuct layout as well?
http://en.espnf1.com/japan/motorsport/story/30491.html