McLaren Not Changing Race Approach

With Kimi Raikkonen in need of closing down the 26-point gap to Fernando Alonso in the title chase, the team could be forgiven for starting to play a strategy game to ensure that Juan Pablo Montoya helps out his teammate as much as possible.

But speaking at Hockenheim on Friday, Dennis insisted that his tactic was purely to allow both drivers to concentrate on winning races for the time being.

"We are focussed on each and every race, we are not worrying about the Championship at the moment, we are just going to every race to try and win it," said Dennis.

"To win this Championship, and of course there is a mathematical possibility of us winning, we have to win (races) and to a certain extent our primary competitors, which is the Renault team, only have to come second so the task for us is to win.

"We are not getting into any form of  mathematics or any consideration about strategy, we just come focussed to win and that is certainly how we are going to finish out the season, irrespective of if and when the Championship is decided.

"We are a Grand Prix team, we exist to win, so that is our approach to every race."

But following Raikkonen's engine failures during practice for the French and British Grands Prix, there is obviously some concern about the team's reliability. And Dennis admits that Renault's points advantage allows them to play a more conservative game.

"We have a very strong car-engine-tyre package at the moment so it is probably up to us to determine the limits to which we push the equipment," added Dennis. "And, of course, to win we are going to have to push it to the limit.

"I think reliability is the challenge for us, whereas maybe with Renault, certainly Alonso, they can play a little bit more of a cautious game to get the finishes they need to  win the World Championship.

"I am sure given a reversal of the situation we would be doing exactly the same. We are under no illusions. While winning is great, they don't have to go 100 percent, they can go a little bit off that and that enhances their reliability.

"It would be interesting if we could get them under pressure, that would be the best thing for Formula One, not necessarily for Renault but certainly for us, just try to get them under pressure."