Martin Whitmarsh maintains McLaren are taking a "very diligent and cautious" approach to ensure there are no more mistakes.

McLaren head into Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai licking their wounds following a disastrous race in Japan at the weekend. With Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen first and third on the grid, the Woking-based marque finished without a point as Hamilton limped home twelfth after hitting Felipe Massa and the Mercedes engine of Kovalainen's car suffered a rare failure, forcing him to retire on lap 16.

McLaren's F1 chief executive Whitmarsh knows one more error could cost the team either or both of the constructor's and driver's titles and said: "Both teams (McLaren and Ferrari) have made several mistakes this year but, at this critical stage in the season, a further mistake by either side could determine the championship."

He added: "As a result, everybody within the team is being very diligent and cautious.

"We have done a fantastic job so far this year and we aim to round off the season by continuing that approach."

Whitmarsh knows the situation and conditions will dictate when they must be aggressive or circumspect.

"For qualifying, you want to have a suitably aggressive strategy otherwise you are not going to be in the race," added Whitmarsh.

"Then, as the race develops, you are afforded the possibility to become slightly more circumspect to ensure you're scoring the points you need to fight for the world championship.

"And that is the approach we take into these races."