'Ill-informed' Whitmarsh gets flak from McLaren

McLaren strongly rebuffed Martin Whitmarsh following his criticism of the team's current state of affairs, qualifying his remarks as 'ill-informed and ill-judged'.

Last week, the ex-McLaren team principal, who worked for the Woking-based outfit from 1989 to 2014, told the Mail on Sunday that the team was in dire need of "a big change of approach", insisting that several of McLaren's leading figures "have to go".

McLaren rejected Whitmarsh's criticism in a statement to Sky Sports' F1 Report.

• Whitmarsh on standby amid reports of McLaren 'revolt'

"Martin worked for McLaren for many years, but has been outside the business for some time and is not part of our future," read the statement.

"What he said was ill-judged and ill-informed in our view but he is entitled to his opinion.

"There are high expectations in the team and we won't compromise those high expectations. Everyone at McLaren is working tremendously hard and is focused on the future, not the past."

After a dismal three-year period of under-performance and a failed partnership with engine supplier Honda, McLaren switched to Renault power for this year, hoping to revive its former luster.

The team's results have fallen well short of expectations however.

Despite his departure from McLaren in 2014, Whitmarsh has remained close to long-time McLaren shareholder Mansour Ojjeh, admitting to have expressed to his friend his desolation about the team's plight when he visited the paddock in Barcelona last month.

"I piled in a little bit," Whitmarsh told the Mail on Sunday.

"I love the team and I am desperately sad to see what it has become."

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