McLaren: ‘Engine limit is a problem’

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has admitted that surviving on just four engines this season will be tough.

2015 rules say that each driver is capped at four engines each per season, and the reliability of their Honda engine was woeful in winter testing.

Boullier told AUTOSPORT: “Yes, it is in some ways. We are preparing ourself and Honda to run just four power units per season, but we saw some last year struggling with five or six, so four will be a big challenge.

"But I think it's not only [a challenge] for us."

He added: "It is true that we have some reliability issues around some ancilliaries around the engine and because we have not done the mileage, we cannot say we have discovered all the issues we can face on the chassis.

"You have a running order unfortunately and until the power unit is working we cannot develop the car as well."

McLaren expect to struggle in next week’s opening race, and they have been hampered even further by the news that star driver Fernando Alonso will not compete due to head injuries he sustained in testing.

Alonso hopes to return to action in Malaysia, but one McLaren source suggested that he may not race again.

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