McLaren: Favouritism not good for team

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has issued a thinly veiled response to allegations of bias towards Sebastian Vettel at title rival Red Bull Racing by claiming that such actions would not be conducive to a success.

Asked for his opinion on claims that Vettel was being favoured over team-mate Mark Webber - after it emerged that the German had been handed the remaining development front wing for qualifying after breaking his in practice - Whitmarsh refused to comment directly, but hinted at his view by claiming that McLaren would not lean towards either Jenson Button or Lewis Hamilton.

"We try very hard to give the drivers the same equipment at the same time," Whitmarsh told Reuters, "We know both drivers will do everything they can to race hard as ever and, if we expect that from them, then they should expect us to be as fair and open as we can. That's important, and it's what we try to set out to do.

"This weekend, we were pushing very hard to bring forward the new floor, and we decided that, if there was only one, we would not use it for this race. I think the cohesiveness of the team is such that you don't need to set up those sort of tensions."

Vettel duly took pole position for the British Grand Prix and, despite lining up alongside the German on the front row, Webber was clearly unhappy at having had to give up his new front wing simply because his team-mate was a place twelve points ahead of him in the championship [see story here].

"I'm not commenting on what happened there and what their equipment is, but all we try and do is be as far and as open as we can with the drivers," Whitmarsh continued, "There are many incidents, either real or imaginary where one driver has been favoured or senses that his team mate is being favoured. In those circumstances, it is to the detriment to the overall performance of the team, and certainly the individual who feels he is being stitched up."