Honda F1's Yasuhisa Arai feeling the pressure of McLaren struggles

In a bold statement, though, Arai has not only predicted a podium finish will come before the British Grand Prix in early July, but the likelihood McLaren-Honda will be firmly challenging Mercedes by the end of the year, then dominating in the near future.

Arai's words are likely to raise eyebrows given McLaren has yet to score a point from five grands prix following a difficult start to its reunion with Honda, and he appreciates the spotlight is on him.

Ask Gary Anderson: What's holding back McLaren-Honda?

"Australia was not such a good result, but race by race we have been improving and the Honda board is very happy," said Arai.

"We have a huge, great history as McLaren-Honda - 1988 [15 wins in 16 races], and everybody thinks about that, so I have very big pressure on me."

But Arai firmly believes Honda is heading in the right direction and on target to realise its ambitions.

"There has been quite an improvement from Jerez in pre-season to Barcelona [Spanish GP], a big change," he added.

"There has been a huge effort. Power-wise, and also the characteristics [of the power unit] have changed. It is almost a new power unit.

"I have already prepared a plan to apply many parts race-by-race, changing, improvements, more sophisticated data application.

"This kind of plan is to achieve our target by the middle of the season.

"Unfortunately the Spanish Grand Prix was an unexpected situation. We believed we could get points, but unfortunately we had trouble on Fernando's car [with the brakes], so it was a very pessimistic result.

"But maybe in Monaco or Canada we will have a much better chance of getting points, and then to achieve a podium in the middle of the season - we hope.

"It is a very important home race at Silverstone - high-speed corners, average speed is so high - so we want to achieve that target by the middle of the European season."

Asked of Arai whether he felt Ferrari and Williams could be caught in 2015, he replied: "Yeah, sure."

And Mercedes? "By the end of the season we should achieve that. That is our aim, the target," responded Arai.

Of returning to the halcyon days of '88, Arai said: "I believe, I strongly say, we can have that success, and we can be dominant in Formula 1.

"You'll see next year, maybe in a near season we can achieve that."

McLaren heading in "good direction" at Barcelona F1 test

Arai, meanwhile, has dismissed recent suggestions of growing impatience inside McLaren at its failure so far to be qualifying and racing in the top 10.

"The relationship is very tight, good communication with McLaren. Everyone is working together, very happy, smiling," he said.

"We have lots of ideas which we are discussing with McLaren every day.

"We have to choose which is the most sophisticated way, and apply it to the chassis or engine, go step by step very quick.

"But every day is exciting, invigorating, very good."