Jul.23 (GMM) McLaren-Mercedes has not won a title since Mika Hakkinen's final triumph in 1999, but Norbert Haug denies there is a sinister reason for the decade drought.

It has been suggested this year, and before, that the silver collaboration is always on the wrong end of prosperity in formula one; whether it be marginal penalty decisions, or controversies like the espionage saga.

Interestingly, Mercedes boss Haug is not willing to explore the theme that a pang of unfairness may have beset the outfit since Hakkinen conquered the world in the late 90s.

"The fact is that each season we were basically at the front, celebrating a great number of victories," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton leads the 2008 drivers' standings by four points, while the Woking based team is 19 points behind for honours in the parallel constructors' title.