Ron Dennis has delivered another robust evaluation of his team's financial health, insisting that the Woking based squad will be debt-free early in 2007.

Earlier this year, the Mercedes-powered outfit reacted angrily to suggestions that, due to the construction of its impressive new factory, it was burdened by huge debts of nearly a billion dollars.

Some reports said rumours about the sale of the remaining 60 per cent of McLaren to Mercedes-Benz was merely a way for the team to avoid bankruptcy.

Mere weeks before the arrival of Vodafone as new title sponsor, however, the Independent quoted Dennis as saying: "We will be entirely free of any debt by 28 January.  We have never been as commercially healthy in our entire history.

"I am fiercely proud of our commercial performance."

Source: GMM