McLaren have made it clear that they are not ready to hand the number one status to Lewis Hamilton just yet.
Hamilton is leading the World Championship by 12 points from team-mate Jenson Button with nine races to go in the season.
Their main rival for the Championships Red Bull have already indicated that they will give preference to the points leader when it comes to new equipment, but McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says they won't be doing the same.
"I'm sure Jenson hasn't given way to Lewis's Championship charge," he said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team phone-in. "He'll want to win this weekend, he'll want to move that momentum back in his favour - and that's how it should be.
"Jenson is second in the Drivers' Championship and has had two great wins this year.
"He's proven he's a great racing driver, a great reader of the race and also someone who can recover from 14th to fourth [at Silverstone] is a phenomenally quick and adept racing driver and someone who has a lot of determination."
Whitmarsh also warns it's too early to dismiss Ferrari and Mercedes' challenge in the World Championships.
"I'd love to believe that but experience has told me you can't write Ferrari off," he said. "They're a strong team, technically capable, with fantastic resources. They've got a former world champion and one other top-line driver.
"Mercedes similarly have another multiple world champion and a very good driver in Nico as well."
Source: Planet F1
Hamilton is leading the World Championship by 12 points from team-mate Jenson Button with nine races to go in the season.
Their main rival for the Championships Red Bull have already indicated that they will give preference to the points leader when it comes to new equipment, but McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says they won't be doing the same.
"I'm sure Jenson hasn't given way to Lewis's Championship charge," he said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team phone-in. "He'll want to win this weekend, he'll want to move that momentum back in his favour - and that's how it should be.
"Jenson is second in the Drivers' Championship and has had two great wins this year.
"He's proven he's a great racing driver, a great reader of the race and also someone who can recover from 14th to fourth [at Silverstone] is a phenomenally quick and adept racing driver and someone who has a lot of determination."
Whitmarsh also warns it's too early to dismiss Ferrari and Mercedes' challenge in the World Championships.
"I'd love to believe that but experience has told me you can't write Ferrari off," he said. "They're a strong team, technically capable, with fantastic resources. They've got a former world champion and one other top-line driver.
"Mercedes similarly have another multiple world champion and a very good driver in Nico as well."
Source: Planet F1
