QUALIFYING RESULT 1 J Button (BAR) 1:19.753 2 M Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:20.011 3 JP Montoya (Williams) 1:20.212 4 R Barrichello (Ferrari) 1:20.451 5 R Schumacher (Williams) 1:20.538 6 F Alonso (Renault) 1:20.895 Button takes first F1 pole Full line-up Qualifying in pictures

McLaren look poised for another awful race at the San Marino Grand Prix after David Coulthard qualified 11th and Kimi Raikkonen had engine failure.

"We are a strong organisation and we will return to competitive form sooner than most people think," Dennis said.

"We will do our best. It is difficult to say how long it will take - double figures in races I think."

McLaren-Mercedes have announced a reorganisation of the company this weekend.

McLaren opt for shake-up

Martin Whitmarsh, formerly managing director of the McLaren team, has been promoted to oversee the Mercedes' Ilmor engine design base as well.

Ilmor's former managing director, Hans-Ulrich Maik, has left the company.

But Dennis said his drivers will have to be patient as they wait for a better car and engine.

The drivers have just got to do their best and be patient Ron Dennis McLaren boss

The team's Mercedes engine, which is under-powered and unreliable, has been blamed for many of their problems, although the car also has handling problems in slow-speed corners.

The team are in the process of designing a "B" version of their troublesome MP4-19 car, but it will not be ready until the German Grand Prix on 25 July at the earliest.

"Drivers know from the moment they arrive in Formula One all about the up-and-down nature of the sport," Dennis said.

"We know that the problems that we have got at the moment are not caused by the drivers but they have just got to do their best and be patient.

"It will take a while, but we will improve all the time, all the way. If it was easier than that we would have done something about it sooner."