McLaren will become the third team to roll out their 2009 car at a launch ceremony on Friday, with Renault, Williams and BMW Sauber due to follow suit next week.
His need for extra time away from the track reflects on the fierce battle he had with McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and the Williams-BMW of Juan Pablo Montoya before claiming his historic title in Suzuka.
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That means maximum engine power, hence Michael Schumacher's warning that BMW Williams will be a force.
Montoya and BMW Williams are expected to be one of the biggest obstacles preventing Michael Schumacher winning a third consecutive drivers' title in 2002.
The GPWC was set up by Fiat (Ferrari), BMW (Williams), DaimlerChrysler (McLaren) and Renault to safeguard the manufacturers' interests in F1.
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Williams, Ferrari and BMW Sauber are also doubtful about starting the season with Kers in place, while McLaren could only confirm the system was not causing them any problems.
Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi claimed sixth ahead of Williams' Nico Rosberg, with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica eighth.
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The top 10 was rounded out by the Toyotas of Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli in sixth and seventh, Fernando Alonso eighth for Renault, with Nico Rosberg ninth in his Williams and Robert Kubica 10th for BMW Sauber.
Another motor manufacturing super-power, the German-based BMW, will be joining the Williams team next year, as its engine suppliers.
Germans Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber and Nico Rosberg of Williams were seventh and eighth in the final points positions.
Adrian Sutil was third fastest for Force India, followed by the BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica, Williams' Nico Rosberg and Rubens Barrichello (Honda).
Renault, fourth last year, and Williams both launch their cars at that test on Monday, while BMW Sauber - third overall in 2008 - have chosen the Valencia track in Spain for the first public appearance of their new model.
The driver of the Nova, Dylan Peters Williams, a 21-year-old farmworker, said he saw the BMW sliding into his path.
Nick Heidfeld was seventh for a resurgent BMW Sauber, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen eighth, followed by the Williams of Kazuki Nakajima and Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi.
But BMW pulled out as an engine supplier in 1987 before returning in 2000 as engine partners to Williams.
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