McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has admitted his team is unlikely to fight for championships as long as it is an engine customer of Renault.
McLaren will use Renault engines until the end of the 2020 season after ditching its works deal with Honda over the winter. The switch followed three years at the back of the grid with Honda, but Boullier believes McLaren's ultimate aim of fighting for titles is still out of reach with Renault engines.
"I think Red Bull is showing that you can win races as a customer, but I think winning a championship is another level -- you need to have a works team status," he said.