McLaren play down Lewis Hamilton's Bahrain revival

McLaren have told Lewis Hamilton to forget the possibility of race wins in the near future despite his impressive form in Bahrian.

The defending world champion finished fourth yesterday to pick up five points - his best haul this season.

But McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh warned: "It was a great result by Lewis, who drove superbly, but this is potentially a flattering circuit for us so we clearly need to raise our game even more. As for race wins, I think it's too early to talk along those lines but we're a racing team and, every time we go out on the track, we go to win. We'll just have to see where we are in Barcelona."

Before then, McLaren will be hauled before the FIA in Paris on Wednesday to answer five charges of bringing the sport into disrepute, including lying to race stewards at the Australian Grand Prix.

Whitmarsh has written to motorsport's governing body to accept the charges but has refused to speculate on the outcome of the hearing, with a two-race suspended ban or expulsion from the championship possible punishments.

"All I'd say is I feel we've at least made some inroads with the FIA," said Whitmarsh.