McLaren continue to publicly back engine partner Honda despite another dismal showing at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were forced to retire in Montreal with unrelated exhaust problems as the team’s season lurches from one disaster to another.
Button, who scored McLaren’s first points of the season in Monaco, started last after sitting out qualifying and then being hit with engine penalties for changing components on his car.
He made little improvement before following Alonso into the garage to complete a miserable weekend for the Woking-based marque.
Alonso vented on the radio when asked to save fuel with the Spaniard blasting that the team were: “Looking like amateurs.”
He said after the race he remains happy to have moved to McLaren this year despite the ongoing issues with the Honda power-unit – although race director Eric Boullier did say Alonso now considers 2015 to be a “test year”, effectively ruling out making major steps forward.
Japanese manufacturer Honda has returned to the sport this year and, although some time to bed in was expected, such a poor start would not have been what the company wanted.
Button defended both McLaren and Honda after the race and is expecting progression, although the 2009 world champion did rule out the prospect of any podiums for 2015.
“It is not about putting up with it because we are one,” he said when asked about frustrations with Honda’s offering.
“We are one team, it is not Honda and McLaren, we are one team. McLaren chose to work with Honda and Honda chose to work with McLaren – that is the way it is.”
Similar issues
Red Bull and Renault have been having similar issues since the start of 2014 but have often conducted their affairs in the press, but Boullier is adamant the team will not be airing their own dirty laundry in public.
“We don’t want to be like Renault and Red Bull – fighting in the media,” he said.
“There is no sense in that. There is a proper reason why we moved to Honda, and we are happy with the move, even if it is frustrating now.
“It is easy to blame the partner but as a partner we also have to be supportive.
“Part of it, it is not in our hands directly, but we are supportive and need to help them to accelerate this recovery time.
“We always say we had a mountain to climb in the championship but looks like it is a very high mountain and we need to make sure we are properly equipped to do it as well.”