McLaren racing director Eric Boullier says that its power unit problems with Honda compels the team to manage its drivers differently their contrasting levels of experience.
Both Fernando Alonso and rookie Stoffel Vandoorne have expressed their frustration and disappointment with the team's discouraging state of affairs following the gloomy performance and reliability of the Honda power unit in pre-season testing.
But Boullier insists that handing in the face of adversity a double world champion and a young nascent talent requires different approaches.
"With both drivers obviously you have to react differently,” Boullier said.
"Stoffel is fresh, young and motivated as ever, so even if he's disappointed because he doesn't have the car to perform well - and I say if - then he will recover and it's something to learn.
"In the case of Fernando he has got more experience and he wants a competitive car, so he also knows - and this is something I keep saying - but since day one he knows the project.
"He knows everything, he knows how it goes and how it develops and where we go. His patience is based on his own expectations but he has a full view of what is going on."
GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
