Whitmarsh confident ahead of China GP

McLaren boss looks forward to potential change in performance.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has put his confidence in the team ahead of the China Grand Prix, believing that they will be more competitive in the third race of the season, according to Sky Sports.

The British-based team have taken up a lowly-seventh position in the constructors’ table as they faced a poor start in the grands prix in Australia and Malaysia.

Their best finish up till now has been ninth and Whitmarsh admitted, “Clearly, our performances in Australia and Malaysia fell below the high standards we’ve come to expect at McLaren.

“We have been fully engaged in further developing our understanding of the MP4-28 and confident of being able to implement a number of changes this weekend that will widen its operating window and, potentially, improve its performance.”

According to the team’s number one driver Jenson Button, they had not imagined gaining just two points from the first two races at the beginning of the year.

“We know where we’re losing performance, so I think we’re actually all looking forward to seeing just what we can achieve in Shanghai.

Meanwhile, Lotus team chief Eric Boullier has joined the chorus of leading Formula One figures in expecting Red Bull to punish Sebastian Vettel for disobeying team orders in last month’s controversial Malaysian Grand Prix.

“Don’t forget that the drivers are paid to work for you, as they are for the company,” Boullier told AFP.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2013.