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McLaren is planning on completing its first official test with its Honda power unit during the two days of testing following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Honda power unit ran for the first time during a filming day at Silverstone last week, but under the sporting regulations could only complete 100km for marketing or promotional purposes. The Abu Dhabi test offers the team a chance to put the power unit through its paces in the back of an interim car designed specifically to house the Honda V6 turbo.

"We are now only a few days away from formally commencing our exciting technical partnership with Honda, and, subject to satisfactory final bench-testing, it is currently our intention to run our interim development car, the McLaren MP4-29H/1X1, on the test days that will follow the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix," a team statement said.

2015 will mark a new era for McLaren as it not only joins forces with Honda but it also completes the restructuring of its senior management and technical team. Since last season, McLaren has undergone big changes, chief among them Martin Whitmarsh leaving as team principal and Ron Dennis retaking control of the team. It has also recruited Eric Boullier from Lotus as racing director and Red Bull aerodynamicist Peter Prodromou to help head up its design team.

"We are working extremely hard to ensure that every element of our competitive package for 2015 and beyond is specified to the fullest extent," the team added. "We have spent the past nine months comprehensively recruiting and restructuring within our design and engineering departments; over the next few days we will be evaluating and trialling a range of aerodynamic upgrades for the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and for the 2015 Formula One season."

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