McLaren pessimistic about its chances in Australia

Martin Whitmarsh, the new director of McLaren, downplayed his team’s chances of competing for victory in Australia, despite recent improvements to the car during the last tests in Jerez.

The team, which openly acknowledged the lack of speed of the MP4-24, indeed showed a much better pace on the Spanish circuit, reducing the gap observed earlier in the year.

But before heading to Melbourne, Whitmarsh made it clear that the team’s issues are not yet fully resolved, and that his goals for the race remain realistic.

« We will start the 2009 season fully aware that the current technical package will not allow our drivers to fight at the front of the pack. »

« In Formula 1, there is no point in lying to oneself, you can’t hide, and that is what makes our sport so demanding and always so fascinating. »

« And just as a team travels to a Grand Prix with the ambition to win and fight for the championship, we are heading to Melbourne with realistic expectations, » declares Ron Dennis’s successor.

Lewis Hamilton, the reigning world champion, is also aware that McLaren is not in the best possible position to fight for victory in Australia.

« Despite weeks of testing this winter, it is still difficult to know in advance who has the best package, and that is why the weekend at Albert Park is always so fascinating. »

« Maybe indeed McLaren is not coming to Melbourne this year with the same ambition to fight for victory as we did in 2007 and 2008, but the whole team is very united and will work tirelessly to help us move forward, » concluded Hamilton.

In 2008, Lewis Hamilton secured pole position and victory in Australia while Kovalainen finished fifth, putting McLaren at the top of the championship.