De Ferran believes 2019 focus is reason for poor form

McLaren Sporting Director Gil de Ferran believes that the team trying to understand its current weaknesses for the 2019 season is the reason behind the team's recent slump in form.

McLaren started 2018 brilliantly, with three double points finishes from the opening four races to top the midfield group, but the team are now down to sixth in the standings.

Without Force India's administration situation and re-branding, they would be down in seventh.

The side have only managed to pick up 18 points across the last 12 Grands Prix, with most recently the team being unable to get through Q1 in Russia and Japan - and ultimately, failing to score in both races.

"I think we needed to gain an understanding of some of the issues that we were having, what was the root cause of these issues," McLaren's Sporting Director admitted.

"Some of the developments that we have tried didn't quite work and then you have to go and understand why that is. And that happened earlier in the year.

"We have brought a few things, but it's a race of development as well as you know, so you don't live in an absolute world in that sense.

"I think there is a lot of truth to the fact that we are very focused on next year's car and trying to make a better car so we can be more competitive. I think there is a variety of factors.

"I think the car this year in certain circuits really exposes some of the weaknesses that we have. It's hard to think that two races ago in Singapore, we had a very good race.

"Fernando (Alonso) for part of the race, held the fastest lap in a very genuine way, and we finished in what I thought was a very strong seventh position."