Feb.4 (GMM) Norbert Haug missed the recent launch of McLaren's 2010 car because he had surgery, it has emerged.

In the wake of their split, it is believed that McLaren and Mercedes agreed to maintain their long friendship by attending the official launch of one another's new cars.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh duly attended the livery launch of the Mercedes GP car in Stuttgart, but Haug was notably absent when the wraps came off the MP4-25.

Mercedes said Haug, Mercedes' competition boss, had "voice problems", but that brief official explanation was met with some scepticism.

Germany's Bild newspaper now reports that, in fact, Haug recently underwent thyroid surgery.

His voice is indeed very weak at present, and the 57-year-old confirmed that "it will take some time" for his throat to fully recover.

Incidentally, in Haug's absence, Mercedes spokesman Wolfgang Schattling attended the launch of the new McLaren.

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