McLaren faster than it seems, says Dennis

Dennis claims that the team's decision to look after their car and engine during Friday free practice often makes them look slower than they really are - but he remains adamant it is the best approach.

"What's difficult for us is to take the pain of following our philosophy of looking after the car and engine very aggressively on a Friday, which is always going to make us look uncompetitive," he said ahead of Sunday's European Grand Prix. "That sets the mood.

"The lap times there lead to normal first-day driver comments like we had this weekend, which was 'we were struggling for balance'. Well, the truth is the circuit was extremely ungrippy. Also Red Bull and BMW were running a softer compound more tolerant to those conditions.

"Then, yesterday, as the grip came in, those two tyres reversed in their competitiveness. But if a driver says he has no balance and you look at the lap times, the conclusion is uncompetitiveness.

"But in truth we are running very soft on our engines and are protecting the whole car. To measure our competitiveness, you have to look at first and second qualifying. Then you have to backtrack on the third qualifying to fuel correct, reflecting strategy. So first and second reflects best your competitiveness.

"We've made improvements. The cars were good in qualifying yesterday. You saw how close it was. All the drivers are going to be careful to get into Q3, but nevertheless you have to lean on the car to find the limit."

When asked whether the team were now beginning to miss the presence of technical director Adrian Newey, who departed for Red Bull Racing at the end of last year, Dennis said McLaren were coping fine without him.

"Adrian was due to leave our team at the end of last year anyway," he explained. "He chose to stay in F1 having previously decided to consider retirement and other opportunities such as America's Cup.

"It was Adrian's decision to change his mind, but as we have said so many times we had planned for his departure for two or three years.

"The system and structure is in place, and it is a system and structure that does not require any position like the one he fulfilled being replaced. We do not see the necessity of having a technical director.

"We think that time has moved on and a different approach is suitable. But until there are wins and race results, everyone is going to challenge that."