Eric Boullier has made the case that Honda should be given a boost to finally get up to speed in Formula 1.
2017 is actually the Japanese carmaker's third season since returning to the sport with McLaren, but the new power unit is reportedly still over 100hp down on its rivals.
It has triggered speculation that Honda could now collaborate with the likes of Mercedes, or get regulatory help as well in a bid to close the performance gap.
"It's something we have to solve," McLaren team boss Boullier is quoted by Spanish sports daily AS.
"I'm not asking for help from anyone to beat the best engine, but to get closer to that three tenths for a balance in performance I think would be fairer and more positive for Formula 1."
However, Boullier acknowledged that there will likely be roadblocks on the way to any moves to give Honda a boost in this way.
"We are in a position where I am not sure that everyone wants us to have more performance from our engine. But I think it will be better for Formula 1 to have a level playing field," he said.
"It will be more attractive for other teams and engine manufacturers to enter formula one, and for the fans it will be much better if they see closer racing on the track."
Meanwhile, Honda has declined to confirm that former Mercedes and Renault engine expert Mario Illien is now working to help solve the Japanese marque's crisis.
