Lewis Hamilton fears his new McLaren car is so uncompetitive he is unlikely to score a point when he begins the defence of his world championship title.

Speaking on the eve of the opening practice session around the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, a downbeat Hamilton revealed the true extent of McLaren's problems.

The 24-year-old, who won last year's Australian Grand Prix after starting from pole position, said: “If we think optimistically, then we can get a point. But I don't think so, somehow.”

After the McLaren M4-24 was found to be way off the pace in pre-season testing, Norbert Haug, vice-president of Mercedes Motorsport who supply McLaren with engines, confessed the car was “definitely not fast enough and not competitive enough to aim for victories”.

But now Hamilton has expressed his belief that it is so slow that it won't even finish among the top eight who score championship points.
He said: “We have to stay positive. Anything can happen and we can get some points — last year only seven cars finished the race so anything is possible — but in terms of true pace, I don't think we are quick enough.”

Asked how the car felt to drive, Hamilton replied: “Well, it wasn't great. I feel it is a work in progress but we have a long way to go.”
Ironically, backing for the struggling McLaren team came from Fernando Alonso, the
two-time world champion now with Renault. The Spaniard left McLaren under a cloud at the end of 2007 after falling out with Hamilton but in Melbourne he insisted that if any outfit could turn their fortunes around, it was his former team.

Hamilton said: “That is definitely the case. Fernando is correct in saying that because it is an extremely experienced team.

“There is a huge amount of intelligent and talented people around us who have now seen what the problem is, although it is a little bit late in finding out the problem. Now they are working as hard as they can to fix the car.

“So he is right. This is a very, very strong team and if anyone can do it, we can.”

Hamilton's disaffection with McLaren's car yesterday led him to hint for the first time that he would consider leaving the Surrey-based team, immediately putting Ferrari and BMW-Sauber on alert.

That admission rocked the pit lane in Melbourne because Hamilton, mentored from his early teens by McLaren chief Ron Dennis, had often pledged life-long loyalty to the team.

But it seemed he had reassessed his future when he said: “I haven't had offers from other teams and I'm not talking to anyone. But I would listen to an offer if someone asked. It would be silly if I did not.”

Today, having considered the full implications of his statement, Hamilton offered a clarification.
He said: “All I said was that for sure if someone did approach me, I wouldn't tell them to F off'.

I would think, Wow'. It is great to see that there is interest in other areas but I am happy where I am right now, so that is all there is.
“I honestly want to see out my career at McLaren.”