Hamilton says new McLaren not good enough

UPDATE Lewis Hamilton is adamant he is not "frustrated" despite McLaren clocking fewer miles with its 2011 car than their rivals. The MP4-26 has also been heavily criticized by those in the know with BBC commentator Martin Brundle labeling it a "mess" and saying that the car clearly has "a fundamental issue."

But despite all their issues, Hamilton is adamant McLaren can turn their fortunes around as the car is "not a disaster." We know we have a bit of a hill to climb, but we can do it. I don't like to use the word 'frustrating' because I'm not frustrated," said the Brit.

"It's tough on everyone in the team because everyone puts so much work into it, and you see it come out and look so beautiful, and it's not a disaster, it just doesn't have as much performance as we'd like at the moment. But it's a foundation that we can build on, and that's all that really matters.

"It means that we can get there. If you look at last year, we didn't have the fastest start at the beginning but we were there or thereabouts and second in the Constructors' Championship. It's a long, long year and I have no doubts that we can compete with these guys."

Without Fernando Alonso as his teammate to tell the engineers what is wrong with the car, Hamilton and his McLaren team are hopelessly lost. What a huge mistake McLaren made favoring Hamilton over Alonso. They lost the one man who could save them – the mark of a true champion.

03/09/11 Like teammate Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton has said that the McLaren MP4-26 will not be able to challenge for regular race wins or indeed the World Championship title in its current state, with the Woking squad having dropped off in mileage this winter due to a selection of issues.

After Button spoke to reporters with a distinctly pessimistic tone on Tuesday, Hamilton echoed the sentiments of his fellow title-winning team-mate on Wednesday.

“Do I believe I have a car to win the World Championship with at the moment?" the 2008 Champion questioned when speaking in the Circuit de Catalunya paddock.

“I don't, no, but that doesn't mean it won't become a World Championship-winning car later.

“As long as we pick up good points in the first few races, we won't be miles behind; for example, if we were able to be in the top five for the first three or four races and get those points, it would still be possible to win the title if we then get a car capable of winning races.

“I'm definitely not shutting the year off – everything’s still to play for."