Martin Whitmarsh: “He’s had a bit of a master class from Jenson…”

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has reiterated his support for Sergio Perez after the Mexican enjoyed a solid weekend in Spain.

Perez comfortably outqualified team mate Jenson Button to start eighth, although come the race the roles were reversed and they finished eighth and ninth, with the Briton ahead.

“I think he’s finding confidence,” said Whitmarsh. “I think the racing at the last race, hopefully it was good and spirited, and qualifying here was good. He’s learning. He’s still very young and he’s had a lot of pressure, and we haven’t given him a good enough car. He’s doing a great job, he’s had another piece of learning today, he’s had a bit of a master class from Jenson about how to drive through with these delicate tyres.”

Whitmarsh says Perez wasn’t obliged to hold station behind Button in the latter stages in Spain.

“It was a fair fight, but if you’re asking did we ask him to back off and not fight? No we didn’t. His tyres were finished at the end. We could see the tyre wear energy, and we were worried that he was going to end up without any rubber at the end of the race, and he virtually did – if you look at his tyres there’s nothing there.”