McLaren not taking anything for granted despite Hamilton's win in Canadian GP

Hamilton moved to the top of the drivers' standings with a brilliant win in Montreal, as he executed a perfectly timed two-stop strategy to overcome main title challengers Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel.

But although the success has added momentum to the team's challenge after its strong start to the campaign, team principal Martin Whitmarsh reckons the result makes little difference to its approach.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he believed some normality was returning to this amazing F1 season - with seven different winners from the first seven races - Whitmarsh was not convinced.

"I'd love to say that is the case but I have no idea," he said. "You guys have as much data as me. I think it is so close that it is so tricky, and the tyres can swing any way.

"You see that going through qualifying it is bloody difficult to get through conserving your tyres. You have to make the right engineering and operational decisions every step of the weekend now, being error free, so it is massively tough. But that is how it should be, isn't it?

"It is great for Formula 1. I'd love to be walking away with another championship but it's not going to be that way.

"I think this is an abnormal season and I think it going to be like this to the end, so we leave here with Lewis leading the championship but we don't think we are now in cruise mode and we're going to win. It could go horribly wrong at the next race and that is how it should be."

McLaren's victory in Canada was the first win since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but Whitmarsh denied that the result was vindication of its efforts after some recent difficulties.

"Everybody will say the pressure is on, but it always is because if you are McLaren, since 1966 you have won 25 per cent of all F1 grands prix.

"So if you are the team principal and you go four or five races without a win and say you aren't under a little bit of stress you probably aren't telling the truth. That is what we expect and we are tough on ourselves."