McLaren not giving up on championship hopes yet

McLaren had difficult outings in Valencia and Silverstone, and it appeared that it was going to endure similar frustrations in Germany with a far from encouraging Friday practice at the Nurburgring.

However, Lewis Hamilton delivered what he thought was his best qualifying performance of the year to get McLaren back on the front row for the first time since the Monaco Grand Prix - and has set his sights on victory on Sunday.

With Whitmarsh's own future having been the subject of speculation since the recent downturn in form, he made it clear on Saturday that he never gave up hope about a fight back.

"I didn't spend too much time thinking about it in truth," he said about the speculation regarding his future at the outfit. "I've been around this team for quite a while and we've had periods of great success and periods where by our own high standards if we're not winning, that's disappointing for all of us.

"I focus on those things; focus on how we are going to go forward. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about things written in the paper like that. It's much more productive thinking about how you are going to be stronger, how you are going to be better as a team.

"We've a long way to go, and we're not perfect by a long way. We strive to be better, and that's in everything. The three of us [himself, Button and Hamilton] can do a better job; the team can do a better job, everyone in our organisation.

"All I can ask everyone is we focus and work hard. The difference is that in performance between ourselves and RBR this year, they have been small - six hundredths of a second today. That means it is doable, it is achievable."

He added: "Mathematically this championship is still possible. I have said previous that the right thing to do is let's concentrate on winning races and build our performance, and if that heads us in the right direction then great."

Hamilton said his performance in Germany had reminded him just why he relished racing in F1.

"Today for me is a great reminder of why I love doing what I do. That lap today, it's not very often you get to do those things. It's not always we have the car to be able to put laps like that together.

"It's important to cherish those moments because I can't remember coming across the line, in a qualifying session, feeling so ecstatic, so energised. I didn't realise it meant that much to me, but you are pleasantly surprised each time.

"But our pace, and what we were able to do, again reminds me of how strong a team I have, how they never give up, and how we can do it, which we've been telling lots of people for a long time.

"It just takes time for us to be able to do that."