McLaren has admitted that they are under pressure to provide drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez with a race winning car.
The Woking based squad has had a tough and difficult start to the season amid issues finding the potential of their evolutionary MP4-28.
Talking in a Vodafone phone-in ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Managing Director Jonathan Neale said "At the moment what we have to do is get the car up so that it is capable of winning races. There will be a lot of pressure on the drivers at that point,"
So far McLaren has scored four points in the opening two rounds, both thanks to ninth place finishes. Button scored points in the season opener whilst Perez capitalised from other teams problems to score in Malaysia.
Neale admits that the drivers have been fantastic in the situation, saying "But at the moment we haven't done that, and the drivers have been a fantastic role model for the team, really pushing hard. We're delighted with both of them.
"It's the wrong time now [for a review]; what we need to do is pull hard as a team, which I'm pleased everyone is doing, and put the car under the drivers that they deserve."
When asked specifically about the performance of new driver Perez, Neale said "Everybody in the team has been impressed not only with his driving skills but the ways he interacts with us. He has had a lot to learn in terms of getting used to us as a team, the way we go about things and obviously he is with a new team of engineers.
"He is very inquisitive and so far he has been very adaptable. We haven't given him the easiest first couple of races and we look forward to putting that right so that we can let him do his thing."
However things are looking more positive for McLaren. Malaysia saw the team make good steps forward with the MP4-28 and now they look ahead to China where they hope to make similar leaps and bounds.
Adding to what he said previously, Neale said "It has not been an ideal start but I believe in the team and I believe in this car, we know where the problems are and I believe we're on the right track now."
He admits that the team will be busy in China with a raft of new upgrades. "We were closer on the pace there [Malaysia], taking the learning from that weekend we're taking a number of upgrades to China.
"Some are just part of our routine upgrade package and some are in response to we're trying to do at the moment."
Button and Perez will be hoping to make yet more strides forward in China to add to their point tallies, they currently lie 13th and 12th in the standings respectively.
British racer Button also admitted that his title hopes were not over despite the poor first two rounds, but McLaren will have a lot of work to do to help him get there.
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
Talking in a Vodafone phone-in ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Managing Director Jonathan Neale said "At the moment what we have to do is get the car up so that it is capable of winning races. There will be a lot of pressure on the drivers at that point,"
So far McLaren has scored four points in the opening two rounds, both thanks to ninth place finishes. Button scored points in the season opener whilst Perez capitalised from other teams problems to score in Malaysia.
Neale admits that the drivers have been fantastic in the situation, saying "But at the moment we haven't done that, and the drivers have been a fantastic role model for the team, really pushing hard. We're delighted with both of them.
"It's the wrong time now [for a review]; what we need to do is pull hard as a team, which I'm pleased everyone is doing, and put the car under the drivers that they deserve."
When asked specifically about the performance of new driver Perez, Neale said "Everybody in the team has been impressed not only with his driving skills but the ways he interacts with us. He has had a lot to learn in terms of getting used to us as a team, the way we go about things and obviously he is with a new team of engineers.
"He is very inquisitive and so far he has been very adaptable. We haven't given him the easiest first couple of races and we look forward to putting that right so that we can let him do his thing."
However things are looking more positive for McLaren. Malaysia saw the team make good steps forward with the MP4-28 and now they look ahead to China where they hope to make similar leaps and bounds.
Adding to what he said previously, Neale said "It has not been an ideal start but I believe in the team and I believe in this car, we know where the problems are and I believe we're on the right track now."
He admits that the team will be busy in China with a raft of new upgrades. "We were closer on the pace there [Malaysia], taking the learning from that weekend we're taking a number of upgrades to China.
"Some are just part of our routine upgrade package and some are in response to we're trying to do at the moment."
Button and Perez will be hoping to make yet more strides forward in China to add to their point tallies, they currently lie 13th and 12th in the standings respectively.
British racer Button also admitted that his title hopes were not over despite the poor first two rounds, but McLaren will have a lot of work to do to help him get there.
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