Honda F1 boss Yusuke Hasegawa isn't expecting McLaren's state of affairs to get any better in Shanghai next weekend on a track set to amplify Honda's weakness.
McLaren-Honda's mediocre start to its 2017 season, depicted by an unproductive run in Melbourne which saw Fernando Alonso retire late in the race and Stoffel Vandoorne finish way down the order, will probably extend into the China GP.
Hasegawa cast a balanced view on the team's first effort of the year but warns its problems shall be compounded by the specific nature of Shanghai's layout.
"Although the season opener in Australia was a tough race weekend for us, it allowed us to judge our current position on track," said the Japanese engineer.
"There were both positives and negatives to take away. We were able to confirm certain reliabilities on our power unit, but we also know that we still have room for improvement when it comes to performance.
"We expect the Chinese Grand Prix to be even more challenging. The race is always a bit of an unknown due to the changeable weather conditions, which affects the set-up and balance of the car.
"The track itself also places a lot of stress on the power unit with its slow- and medium-speed corners, and two very long straights. The key will be preparation and set-up. "
Despite its quandary and rumors swirling around the future of Honda's relationship with McLaren, Hasegawa insures the manufacturer and its partner are doing everything possible to extract themselves from the doldrums.
"Once again we will work together with McLaren to ensure we do our best and extract the most from our package.
"It's important we gather as much information as possible. It's a long season and we are looking for progress at every race."
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