McLaren has almost recovered the two-week deficit on its 2018 Formula 1 car schedule after delaying its decision on its engine supplier for next season, acco🔥rding to team racing director Eric Bo𝐆ullier.

McLaren confirmed over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend it would be switching to a Renault engine supply f🦩or 2018, ending a difficult three-year🎀 spell with Honda, who will work solely with Toro Rosso next season.

The delayed decision caused McLaren to fall two weeks behind🎀 schedule with its 2018 car, but Boullier confirmed that the team has been working hard to get back on-track, having nearly made up the lost tim💖e.

"Maybe we made the decision to change the engine manufacturer two weeks too late for our schedule, but these two🌃 weeks have almost been recovered," Boullier told the officiaജl F1 website.

"You 🐬have to adapt and adjust to th🌠e engine layout, but the architecture will remain the same [for 2018].

"We have a clever concept, so it’s꧅ not going to be a big drama. Sometimes we are trying not to be stupid!"

Asked if McLaren would have its car ready in time for the first pre-s♐eason test in Barcelona in February, Boullier said it was "too early to𝓰 say that now."

ꦿ"You push the boundaries to the limit all the time and if you have that constant development in performance – in the wind tunnel, in CFD, whatever – you want to push the limit to the last minute be๊fore you start the manufacturing process," he explained.

"You simply wanꦬt to wait as long as possible to make sure that you’ve derivꦕed each and every bit of information and data when you start manufacturing.

"And I can say: so far, so good."