Former McLaren champion Lewis Hamilton believes his old team underestimated the switch from Mercedes to Honda power this season.
The Woking team has failed to score a single point in the opening five races of the season as it struggles to get to grip with its new power unit.
Whilst progress has been made, according to Jenson Button they’re no closer to points and they might be waiting some time for a top ten result.
It’s a situation which two-time champion Hamilton finds bewildering given their facilities, budget and experience.
“When I saw them so lost in Australia, I thought to myself ‘How can that be?'” He told Spain’s El Pais. “When you think of their factory, their history, their potential, it seems impossible.
“They decided to change the engine and my experience tells me that in F1 it is quite common when challenges are underestimated.
“For example, in 2009 when the double diffuser suddenly came into play, most people underestimated that.
“It made sense that McLaren would not be fighting to win. I am convinced that they will do so again, the question is when.”
Hamilton, a former team-mate of Fernando Alonso, believes the two-time champion is more deserving of his current title tally, but says being in the right place at the right time – as he has found himself to be – is key to success.
“You make the decisions you make but you also need to be in the right place at the right time,” he added.
“Michael Schumacher won seven titles but I see Alonso on the same level as him in terms of talent.
“He [Alonso] made his own decisions but when you look at Ferrari now, how well they are going and you think that he left when he still had a contract, you think ‘My god!'”
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