Hamilton: “the McLaren is not competitive”
Lewis Hamilton has just confirmed a widespread feeling shared by most experts since the beginning of testing: the MP4-26 does not seem up to the level.
Although it’s not yet time to cast blame on the team from Woking, it’s clear that their car is currently neither reliable nor performant. Should the McLaren be considered dead, the Mp4-26 as a poorly conceived machine, the 2011 season as a season already bound for oblivion? It’s obviously too early to make any judgments, and only hypotheses prevail, along with statements from Lewis Hamilton.
Not yet at the level of Red Bull and Ferrari
After once again ending a testing day that was not very productive due to a hydraulic problem and then a broken exhaust, Hamilton admitted that the situation is critical and that the team is not ready for the title fight.
Speaking with journalists present at the Barcelona circuit, Hamilton admitted: “I don’t believe I have a car that allows me to win the title. At the moment, no. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t allow me to. Today, we have already had improvements and we will continue to push in the right direction for development, we have several races to climb up, hoping to close the gap between us and the best and fight for victory.”
A Price to Pay
He who says innovations says risks, and this MP4-26, not very competitive but different and unconventional, is the price to pay. Being in the top five during the first three or four races would help us collect points, which, in case of good development, would allow us to still be in the running for the title. Everything is still up for grabs, hopes Hamilton.
Concerned, the English driver? He claims not to be, but only because he cannot solve the situation alone: «There are many problems that are not as easy to fix as we had hoped. Today was difficult. I was hoping to do a hundred laps, but we haven’t covered enough miles. It wasn’t a great day.»
A national press that gets carried away
The English media are already adding fuel to the fire. Brundle, a commentator for the BBC, stated: No brakes, no steering. The machine cannot transmit its power to the track. It clearly has a fundamental problem.
Button – the team’s second driver is also worried. He confirms these statements by admitting: “It would be a surprise to be able to fight with Red Bull and Ferrari in Melbourne. If we had the third car on the grid, it would be an excellent start to the season.”
