McLaren to revisit history in testing.

With its definitive 2006 paint scheme still under consideration, McLaren has decided to revert to its familiar orange stand-in when it resumes winter testing at Jerez on Wednesday.

The colour is synonymous with the team's origins, as founder Bruce McLaren ran his Formula One and Can-Am cars in orange for a number of years, starting with the M5A in 1968. Only the advent of the sponsorship era saw the team drift away from the distinctive livery, sporting the likes of Yardley and Marlboro backing before the current silver scheme was adopted for the tie-up with tobacco brand West in the 1990s. Despite that, the orange livery has been used as a testing colour scheme on several occasions over the past few years. While West has gone, the team is understood to be keeping its silver appearance this season, before incorporating new title backer Vodafone from 2007.

New testing combination Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett will be at the wheel of two interim MP4-20s at Jerez, and will be joined on occasion by race regulars Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Montoya before the launch of the new 2006 livery in mid-February.

The team has 28 track days scheduled before the opening race of the season in Bahrain in March, and will visit Valencia, Barcelona, Imola and Jerez in that time. While Paffett and de la Rosa undertake most of the initial work, Raikkonen and Montoya will start their programmes from next week.