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Hamilton deserves Monaco win - Whitmarsh

Lewis Hamilton has maintained a positive outlook despite circumstances leading to him only scoring eight points in the last two races © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Lewis Hamilton
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• Martin Whitmarsh

• Teams:
• McLaren

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh believes Lewis Hamilton deserves to win the Monaco Grand Prix following his recent difficulties.

Hamilton's race in Bahrain was heavily compromised by two very slow pit stops, and then in Spain he was stripped of pole position due to a fuel error by the team. Starting from last on the grid he climbed through to eighth, displaying the sort of pace that would have made him a favourite for victory had he not been excluded from qualifying.

Whitmarsh believes Hamilton is using those incidents as motivation and says it is down to the team to deliver a faultless weekend to allow him to show what he can do.

"He is in that frame of mind, he deserves it - there is absolutely no doubt about it," Whitmarsh is quoted by Autosport. "We have to work hard, make sure he has got a good car, make sure we don't make any mistakes, and make sure he is in a position to fulfil his potential at a circuit where he has won in F3, GP2 and F1. He has won it in every category - so he would like to win it again."

While McLaren has a strong record in Monaco and obviously a quick car, Whitmarsh said that there was no way of telling if it would be competitive next weekend due to the unpredictable nature of the season so far.

"We have won more Monacos than anyone else, we go there with the belief that we can win, but anyone who makes predictions in this sport at the moment would be nuts. It really is virtually impossible to make these predictions - five races in, five winners, five different constructors - and it could be after Monaco six races and six different winners. I hope not six constructors, I hope we can win that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.