The Formula One team McLaren says the championship leader Lewis Hamilton should be fully fit for next week's Belgian Grand Prix after a neck problem almost sidelined him in Spain last weekend,

McLaren's chief executive Martin Whitmarsh says Hamiltion had a severe migraine and his neck was in spasm before Monday's .European Grand Prix at the new Valencia street circuit so the reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa was readied to take over .

But... // Radio New Zealand

LONDON : Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton should be fully fit for next week's Belgian Grand Prix after a neck problem almost sidelined him in Spain last weekend, McLaren said on Wednesday.

"His physical problems are unlikely to disturb his fitness programme and we expect him to make a full recovery for both the Monza test and next week's Belgian GP," said team chief executive Martin Whitmarsh.

Whitmarsh gave further insight into just how close the 23-year-old Briton came to missing Sunday's European Grand Prix at the new Valencia street circuit.

"At 8 a.m. on Saturday, I received a phone call from the team's doctor, Aki Hintsa, telling me that Lewis was in some difficulties," he told the McLaren website (www.mclaren.com). "He'd woken up with a severe migraine and... // International Herald Tribune