McLaren’s expectations not fully met

After the first three races McLaren’s team-boss Martin Whitmarsh claims that the expectations haven’t been quite met.

Although the team has already won a race this season and is lying in second in the constructor’s standings, Whitmarsh says that the team is working to improve ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix and already with the European season in sight.

In a team preview Whitmarsh said, “By our own very high standards, we’ve not fully met our very high expectations in the first three races, despite having what we feel is the necessary race pace to compete at the front and despite having won the Australian Grand Prix.

McLaren’s team principal admitted that it might be a little “overly self-critical” and added, “given that Jenson and Lewis are both close to the top of the drivers’ championship, but that’s merely a reflection of the fact that we at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes aim to excel at all times”.

Whitmarsh acknowledges that there have also been a lot of positive things which will give the team a boost of confidence for the next races, but he still wants more.

“There’s no denying that our successes – Jenson’s integration into the team, his win in Melbourne, and some of the greatest drives of Lewis’s career – have given us a great early-season boost.”

“Now we are looking to establish ourselves as consistent challengers at the front and to pick up the maximum available points on a regular basis”, he added.

“One of the greatest qualities of this team is its considerable strength in depth. After establishing a strong and solid start to the season, we’re confident that we’ll become an even more formidable contender as we head into China and then the start of the European season.”