Highlights - Australian Grand Prix

By Marc Vesty

McLaren must "step up" and support Lewis Hamilton after a strategic error cost him points in Australia on Sunday, says managing director Jonathan Neale.

Hamilton, who finished sixth, vented his frustration on the team radio after being pulled in for a second pit stop which he felt lost him second place.

Neale explained: "I completely understand why Lewis was frustrated.

"Every time Lewis comes in he has left nothing on the circuit and it is up to us to step up and follow him."

Hamilton was called in for a second time for new tyres on lap 34 in Melbourne when he was putting the pressure on second-placed Robert Kubica.

606: DEBATE McLaren now have 2 top drawer drivers who will deliver wins whenever the chance arises *stoppemfloppen

But, after rejoining the race in fifth, the 25-year-old Briton could not move up the field again and a late shunt from Mark Webber forced the 2008 champion to settle for sixth while McLaren team-mate Jenson Button took victory.

Hamilton was still clearly unhappy after crossing the finish line but has since mellowed after speaking to his team.

And Neale has insisted that the criticism will only make McLaren stronger.

"We don't end up being bruised about it," said Neale.

"If our driver is frustrated because we have done something, made a mistake or put him in a situation that is difficult in the race, then we have to look at ourselves and say 'did we do the best to get the job done for him?'

Hamilton was frustrated after a second pit stop cost him points in Australia

"If the driver is frustrated, it is our job to do something better to support them.

"Do I think with the benefit of hindsight we got that wrong in Melbourne? Yes.

"But that's just the way it is when you get split-second or 30-second decisions to make.

"We go to Malaysia with Lewis very much a man on a mission."

Both Hamilton and Button have called for McLaren to improve the car's qualifying performance to give them a better chance of starting at the front of the grid. Hamilton started the Australian Grand Prix in 11th place, Button in fourth.

But although Neale accepted the McLarens are slightly behind Red Bull and Ferrari, he insisted it will not take a major change to level things up.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said at the weekend that he believed Red Bull were running a ride-height adjustment system that helps them in qualifying, in which their driver Sebastian Vettel has taken pole position in both races so far this season.

"I don't think there are any silver bullets as to why Red Bull are particularly quick," said Neale.

"F1 is F1, it relies on horsepower and downforce.

"We can look at tyres and see how we can get the best out of those but I'm not obsessed by ride-height control but I know if we bolted on another 20 points of downforce we would go quicker.

"Our principle focus is just to bring aerodynamic upgrades to the car under these regulations to give us some more traction and greater return from the tyres."

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