McLaren's beleaguered management are facing a revolt from disgruntled staff who are putting together a delegation to vent their frustrations to former boss Martin Whitmarsh.

Sportsmail understands that patience broke earlier in the week when racing director Eric Boullier led the usual post-race debrief in the Woking factory at which it was admitted they were at a loss to explain the car's lack of performance.

Members of the shop floor were so furious at what they saw as the incompetence of their leaders that they plan to enlist Whitmarsh's support as a last-ditch attempt to help turn around the ailing team.

Racing director Eric Boullier was at a loss to explain McLaren's lack of performance in Canada

'Enough is enough,' said one source. 'A delegation is being pulled together.'

Whitmarsh, who spent 25 years at McLaren before being leaving as team principal in 2014, is a potentially influential ally because of his close links to the company's shareholders, especially his long-time friend, the French-Saudi Arabian billionaire Mansour Ojjeh.

This is not the first time Whitmarsh has been contacted by staff since Zak Brown took charge 19 months ago. Whitmarsh revealed: 'People at McLaren said they would send me a letter about the situation. I told them not to send it to me, but to Mansour.' The anonymous letter was sent last year.

Since then McLaren — winners of the 20 world championships that make them the most successful British team in Formula One history — have split from engine partners Honda, costing the team a £60million severance payment.

McLaren's beleaguered management are facing a revolt from disgruntled staff

However, their performance has barely improved since switching to new suppliers Renault. They were desperately slow in qualifying for the Canada Grand Prix a week ago today, starting 14th and 15th.

The lean streak has left Boullier's position under threat, with one source saying the Frenchman has 'lost the dressing room'.

Whitmarsh made his dissatisfaction known to Ojjeh on a rare return to the paddock at the Spanish Grand Prix last month. 'I piled in a little bit,' said Whitmarsh, who is speaking publicly about McLaren's malady for the first time. 'I love the team and I am desperately sad to see what it has become.

'It needs a big change of approach. There is too much politics between the main figures. I think a number of them have to go. I have explained my view to Mansour and it is for the shareholders to decide what to do.

Staff plan to enlist Whitmarsh's support as a last-ditch attempt to help turn around the team

'The team used to be all about winning in Formula One. Now they are looking at other avenues — going to race in IndyCar and Le Mans, for example. They are great things in themselves, but McLaren going in that direction, rather than making grand prix racing their sole priority, makes me shudder.

'I live locally and I bump into friends who work at McLaren. They are disappointed with what is happening and remonstrate with me.'

One of Boullier's senior engineers, Tim Goss, has already been sidelined as a reaction to the problems, which date back to the team's last win through Jenson Button in 2012.

'Tim Goss's departure pitched me over the edge,' said Whitmarsh, whose own tenure as team principal provokes mixed feelings at Woking. 'Tim has a fantastic intellect, and is a hard-working, non-political, value-adding member of the team. He was scapegoated. He may not have all the answers, but he would work on a solution from first principles.'

Whitmarsh will be at Le Mans this weekend watching McLaren's Fernando Alonso and former driver Button compete in the 24-hour race before heading back to England early next week.

'If a delegation showed up at my door, I wouldn't turn them away,' added Whitmarsh. 'They know where I am.'