» Is Sam Michael under the pump?

Sam Michael is reportedly under fire as the McLaren team’s pit stop woes continue for yet another race weekend.

The Australian ~~was forced out~~ quit his post as Williams’ long-standing Technical Director before the end of last season as part of the team’s major restructure, taking up a position as McLaren’s Sporting Director.

But his new role has been difficult to say the least, with the team hit by recurring problems during the all-important pit stops, an area that falls under Michael’s responsibility.

Following a spate of sticky wheel nuts incidents, the latest disaster hit last weekend at Valencia, with Lewis Hamilton losing crucial places during a 14-second pit stop when his front jack failed. The delay arguably cost him a shot at becoming the first two-time winner of the 2012 season, an honour that instead went to former team-mate Fernando Alonso, who claimed a popular win on the street circuit.

The Grand Prix Diary website observed on its Twitter feed: “McLaren were brilliant and Williams were rubbish. Then Sam Michael changed teams.”

The Telegraph newspaper’s leading F1 columnist, Tom Cary, also noted: “[Michael] is coming under sustained fire” for the McLaren team’s pit stop problems.