As speculation continues over the future of Lewis Hamilton, team boss Martin Whitmarsh is confident that the youngster will remain a McLaren man.

A week after Hamilton, like Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, said the 2011 championship was as good as done, with Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull cleaning up once again, there is continued speculation that the Englishman is looking to 'jump ship', to find a team that will allow him to take on the German and his Austrian team. Indeed, following a brief, but highly publicised, chat with Christian Horner in Montreal, there remains talk of the 2008 champ joining the Milton Keynes outfit.

In an interview with the Independent, when asked if he believes Hamilton will remain with his team, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh replies: "Yeah, I would. Lewis loves this team and he knows the car is capable of winning races," he continues. "He's sat with me here in the last 10 days and explained his passion, enthusiasm and desire to remain part of this team. I've known him since he was 11. I don't think he would look me in the eye and say that if he didn't mean it."

Explaining the tete-a-tete in Montreal, Whitmarsh continues: "Formula One is a circus. I probably went to see half the teams in Canada, and three other drivers came to see me. We didn't talk about job opportunities. Ultimately, we're in the entertainment business. I can get agitated about things written about us, but it's the business we're in. I have to accept that the sport needs a little bit of controversy."

In recent times Hamilton has enjoyed more than its fair share of controversy, and despite the speculation over the driver's future Whitmarsh is quick to protect the youngster who has been part of the McLaren family for as long as anyone can remember.

"A racing driver has to attack," he says. "If you are going to overtake another Formula One car, you are going to take a risk."

When asked about criticism of his driver from some of the sport's true legends - drivers like Lauda, Fittipaldi and Moss - Whitmarsh doesn't pull his punches.

"These are very quotable people, and very quotable people say things for effect," he says. "I know Niki and like him, and I accept that there are people around who want to say things to create controversy. Niki's in that category.

"There was a famous encounter between Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna, which I think is in the new Senna movie," he continues, "and it's basically them having the same conversation. Ayrton's response was that he was there to race. Now, does Lewis regret his accidents? Of course he does and so do I. Would you want him to change his style? With due respect to the great and the good, we're living in the here and now."

Of course, part of the problem for Hamilton is his frustration at not having a car with which he can take on Vettel week in, week out, it's a problem which leaves Whitmarsh equally frustrated.

"Adrian at Red Bull, has done a great job," he admits. "I accept that our car's not good enough. It has improved a lot, and needs to improve more, and we didn't win, but we did compete. There are twelve teams in Formula One, maybe 10 of which are very good teams, run by good people. It is, and should be, very difficult to win a race. Toyota, Honda, BMW, have all spent billions trying to win and haven't succeeded. Also, if people like me came out of every weekend saying it all went to plan, the sport would be dead. We need weekends when team principals such as myself are frustrated or disappointed.

"Of all the teams," he continues, "Ferrari and McLaren are not going to be forgiven if they're not winning. There's a higher level of expectation. I don't recall anyone giving Red Bull a tough time before they were winning."