McLaren boss says Button and Hamilton to stay

NURburgring, Germany, July 23, 2011 (AFP) - Martin Whitmarsh has reiterated his faith in McLaren after weeks of speculation over the future of their drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button and the team's failure to mount a title challenge,

"We are here to win, and by our high standards we are not good enough at the moment," the McLaren boss told the BBC ahead of qualifying for Sunday's German Grand Prix.

"But it is a bit early to say the wheels are coming off. We can do a better job and that's what we are committed to doing.

"We are making it tough for ourselves at the moment, but mathematically it is still possible to win the championship and we will keep pushing. "I expect both our drivers to be here next year - they are committed members of this team - and Lewis (Hamilton) chatting to Red Bull in the paddock was not embarrassing.

"We have drivers visit us. We all know each other, we talk to each other. "Lewis wants to win, we want to win. We have seen his frustration - he has to control that a little bit but we don't want to change him, he is a passionate driver and we wouldn't want him any other way."

McLaren have not won the constructors' world championship since 1998 and the drivers' title since Hamilton succeeded in 2008.This year, for the third successive season, McLaren have been left behind in the championship and have had to mount a revival in the second half of the year.