Martin Whitmarsh has revealed fears that tyre degradation could play a huge part in the upcoming Formula 1 calendar.

McLaren's team principal said that testing has unearthed problems with graining and degradation, although engineers have said that it is due to the cold weather experienced at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

However, he still feels that it will be a problem when the season gets underway.

"I think everyone was struggling with tyre graining and I rather fear and suspect they might be [the case] in the races," Whitmarsh told Sky Sports News.

"At the moment engineers are considering this to be a cold weather phenomenon and we will be okay at the races - but I have a feeling that in China, we are going to be talking about tyre graining and tyre degradation quite a lot, but we will see."

When asked which team had shown early signs of pace, he responded: "The real answer is I have no idea - you go around the organisation and all the various engineers and they are all doing that analysis.

"I think we have seen in the past that testing is not a good guide of the real form and it is not a good guide because the conditions are very different."

The season gets underway in Australia on March 17.