Mat Coch writes:

Qualifying pace is all that's holding McLaren back, believes the Woking team's technical director Paddy Lowe. After a competitive showing in Monaco, where Jenson Button battled for the lead in the closing stages, Lowe feels that in race trim the team is a match for the Red Bulls.

Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix Button had claimed that Red Bull enjoyed 10% more downforce than the McLaren, a figure understood to be worth as much as a second a lap. "I don't agree with that," contested Lowe in the latest Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in. "We have been quicker than them in the last two races in race trim, so I think our car is actually out-performing them at that point in the weekend. Clearly in qualifying we've got a gap to make up."

Some of that gap has been credited to the use of exhaust gases under the car, a concept the FIA has moved to ban from the British Grand Prix. It's a change which most expect to hit to hit Red Bull harder than its rivals.

Even without the pending changes Lowe remains upbeat, despite trailing the reigning champions in both the drivers' and constructors' championships. "We're very buoyed in that we've achieved race pace over a slow circuit, such as Monaco, and at a circuit such as Spain, which historically has been very tough for us and very strong for Red Bull. To have the pace there in the race is very encouraging for us.

"If we can close the gap in qualifying, if we've got ourselves more on the front foot for the Sunday, we've got strong race pace," he continued. "I think we're in a very good position to win a lot of races and bring ourselves back in to championship contention. We're feeling pretty bullish about our current position, even though the points standings may look a little depressing."