McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh thinks expectations within the Formula One team were raised too high when they won the final two races of last season.

He said on Friday that drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez have every right to feel disappointed about this year.

The MP4-28 car has been too slow and the exciting-looking Button-Perez partnership has not flourished.

Results have been poor: no podium finish, no grid position higher than seventh and no result better than fifth – through Button in China.

“Hero-to-zero happens very quickly in this business. Not so long ago we had the fastest car on the grid and now we don’t,” Whitmarsh said.

“It’s tough, and believe me we are annoyed with ourselves.”

After placing third in last year’s constructors’ standing, McLaren languish in sixth place and is more than 100 points behind Red Bull.

McLaren worked hard on upgrades in Barcelona two weeks ago, but to limited effect as Button finished in eighth place and Perez ninth.

“With the benefit of hindsight we were too ambitious last year. We had a competitive car and made decisions to make very big changes in the expectation of aggressively making a big step forward,” Whitmarsh said.

“We should have evolved what was already a competitive car. We didn’t do that and are paying the cost of it.”

Regarded as one of the quickest drivers in F1, the 23-year-old Perez replaced Lewis Hamilton when he left for Mercedes. But the Mexican has struggled for points so far, with a best finish of sixth at the Bahrain GP, and is 11th overall.

“We wanted him to come into a competitive situation, so he’s got the right (to be disappointed),” Whitmarsh said.

“We are absolutely delighted with him. If we give him a good enough car he will win races.”

Button won three GPs last year – including the final race – and placed fifth overall. He is now 10th with a meagre 17 points.

“We all thought that he would have (challenged) … and it’s great of him that he has kept this disappointment to himself,” Whitmarsh said.

Button has seen signs of improvement since Barcelona, but accepts that the car remains a long way from competing.

“The pace on our long run is surprisingly good, not that that matters so much around here when you’re 1.2 seconds off the pace in qualifying,” he said.

“We’re still not setting amazing times out there but I’m happier we’re going in the right direction.”