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McLaren: Hamilton deserves Monaco win

Thursday 17th May 2012

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McLaren: Hamilton deserves Monaco win

McLaren: Hamilton deserves Monaco win

Martin Whitmarsh has vowed to do all he can to help Lewis Hamilton win in Monaco after McLaren's recent run of mistakes damaged his campaign.

In the last two grands prix alone McLaren's disastrous errors have robbed Hamilton of an estimated 32 points.

The Brit had appeared to be racing for a podium finish in Bahrain when not one but two bungled pit stops had him finishing in eighth place.

There were more gaffs at the next race in Spain when McLaren sent Hamilton out for his final run in qualifying with too little fuel in his car after a mechanic switched the fuel rig to pump out and not pump in fuel.

Although Hamilton claimed pole position, he was later excluded from qualifying and sent to the back of the grid. Instead of winning, as new pole-sitter Pastor Maldonado did with relative ease, he finished P8.

His team boss, though, has vowed to do all he can to right the wrongs, saying he will "make sure" everything is in place to help Hamilton become this season's sixth grand prix winner.

"He is in that frame of mind, he deserves it - there is absolutely no doubt about it," Whitmarsh told Autosport.

"We have to work hard, make sure he has got a good car, make sure we don't make any mistakes, and make sure he is in a position to fulfil his potential at a circuit where he has won in F3, GP2 and F1.

"He has won it in every category - so he would like to win it again."

Whitmarsh, though, concedes that with the unpredictability of this year's Championship no one can predict what will happen next time out in Monaco.

"We have won more Monacos than anyone else, we go there with the belief that we can win, but anyone who makes predictions in this sport at the moment would be nuts.

"It really is virtually impossible to make these predictions - five races in, five winners, five different constructors - and it could be after Monaco six races and six different winners. I hope not six constructors, I hope we can win that."

Whitmarsh added that McLaren are working hard to eradicate the mistakes that have dogged them this season.

"One mistake can do it, and we have made some," he said.

"It is painful, frustrating and difficult in the team, and we get a fair amount of external scrutiny and criticisms.

"But believe me, we are much harder on ourselves and it is reasonable to be criticised if you are not getting it right."

Pressed as to what is being done, he said: "It is the obvious thing.

"We have complex processes, and lots of challenges, but we must concentrate and focus to not make mistakes.

"It is not magic. It is doing our job and doing it correctly."

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