Whitmarsh says McLaren are underdogs - CNN International

(CNN) -- McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has conceded the British-based Formula One team are underdogs ahead of Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

After finishing second in last season's constructors' standings, McLaren have struggled for pace during pre-season testing -- compared to the times set by last year's all-conquering Red Bull team and Ferrari.

But Whitmarsh, 52, has said McLaren's duo of former world champion drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button can cause an upset at Melbourne Park.

"Do I think our testing pace is representative of the pace we'll show in Australia? No," Whitmarsh told Formula One's official website.

"Do I think we head into the weekend as race favorites? Unfortunately, no. But, do I feel that we have the capacity to surprise a few people and be competitive? Very much so, yes.

"As with everything we do at McLaren, we never give up. We are fighters, that is the spirit that has won us 20 world championships in the past and which makes us a team you can never underestimate."

Button has won the last two races in Australia and the 2009 world champion echoed Whitmarsh's sentiments.

"Albert Park has been good to me," said the 31-year-old Briton. I've won there for the past two seasons.

"It always seems to create unpredictable races and, perhaps because it is habitually at the start of the season when a precise pecking order has yet to be established, we often see fast cars running out of sequence -- and the excitement that that brings.

"I'm regularly being asked if I can make it three wins in a row this year. On paper that might not look likely, but, seriously, who knows? I most definitely wouldn't rule it out."

Meanwhile, Formula One's 2011 tire supplier Pirelli have announced a range of color-coded tires ahead of the new season.

The colors will identify the six different types of rubber used for the tires depending on the weather and track conditions.

Tires designed for wet weather will have orange writing on the sidewall, with the hard rubber compound represented by silver and the medium variation by white.

The soft compound is yellow, the super soft will be red and the intermediate variation is light blue.