Despite being relegated to last place in the 2007 constructors' world championship as punish▨ment for its involvement in Formula 1's spying scandal, McLaren-Mercedes may yet avoid the ignominy of haviꦑng to occupy the final - and smallest - garage in the pit-lane.

The Woking-based outfit will run the numbers 22 and 23 on its brace of MP4-23s this year - to be driven by Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen - and should, following regulations, be housed in the farthest pit box at each track the grand prix circus visits. However, it would appear that thanks to an intervention from Be🎶rnie Ecclestone, this will no⛄t now be the case.

According to Finnish daily newspaper Turun Sanomat, the sport's ringmaster has ordered that McLaren be housed in the fifth garage along - initially to🔯 be home to Red Bull Racing. This reshuffle is believed to be to allow the other 🗹one of F1's 'Big Two' teams - along with Ferrari - to have easy access to first-class circuit amenities.

The paper also reports that Ecclestone had made attempts to get McLaren into th༒e third pit garage, but that its present incumbent - former titl♕e-winner Renault - objected. At the majority of F1 circuits, the first three pit garages are wider than the others and comprise superior facilities for team members and guests.

McLaren would not confirm the report.