Jenson Button thinks it vital that McLaren makes the most of the next two races as it bids to get itself back to the front of the grid.
The squad has endured frustrating weekends in Valencia and Silverstone, and is keen to ensure that it delivers in Germany and Hungary so it does not lose any further ground in the title battle. With F1 teams facing a summer shutdown after Hungary, Button says there is added significance to the next two grands prix.
"The final back-to-back before we head into the summer break will be important for the whole team: coming off the back of a couple of disappointing weekends," explained Button. "It's important that we capitalize on the opportunities available in Germany and Hungary."
With the team convinced that recent difficulties owe more to set-up issues that a performance deficit with the car, Button too thinks that a clearer picture of where McLaren stands should emerge.
"Performance-wise, I still think it's difficult to accurately predict where we stand in the competitive order – Valencia and Silverstone were certainly difficult races for us, but I don't think they were truly representative of our pace," he said. "This year, you really need a problem-free buildup to the race if you're going to maximize the car's potential."
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh agreed.
"There is a huge resolve within the operation to ensure that our aggressive development strategy is upheld across the summer," he said. "We are determined to narrow the gap to the championship leaders before the start of the summer break."
Button's teammate Lewis Hamilton, incidentally, will celebrate his 100th grand prix in Germany.