The McLaren team principal spoke today to selected media that included MotorLat about the prototype of the C4 compound that Pirelli is involving the teams with to test a new construction of the rear tyres from one of the hardest rubber on its selection, after the Azerbaijan incidents and polemic following the investigation of Max Verstappen’s and Lance Stroll’s rears explosions.

You’ll spot a few plain black unmarked tyres out on track today. These are a new specification of rear tyre that is being tested, with a different construction. Each driver has two sets of these, which can be used in either free practice session. #AustrianGP

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) July 2, 2021

“I think the most important thing is that we as a team support this initiative. We are in this together, and if Pirelli has this compound to test which is more robust and also increase the safety, it’s something we support,” said Seidl.

The data gathered by the teams are set to go back to Pirelli after this Friday’s practice sessions so it can be analyzed and then a decision will be made whether the Italian supplier will introduce formally the compound for the next round at Silverstone.

The German was asked whether he thinks the addition of a change like this midseason will influence McLaren’s battle with the Scuderia Ferrari for P3 in the constructors' championship: “Difficult to say. It’s a different construction, at the same time we’re allowed to use lower pressures. It could actually change conditions a lot. Of course, in track, we’re introducing the possibility that it favors characteristics of a car more than another car, but as I said, if Pirelli thinks these tyres give a new and more margin towards avoiding failures as we have seen, it’s simply something that we need to pull over and support.”

“In terms of the tyre-testing, it has to happen during a session, so as I said before, different construction and different pressure levels as several other things that influence the car. Therefore I expect no real changes to be made to the car.”

Earlier in the week a reunion with Porsche and Audi representatives regarding the 2025 engines in Formula 1 was announced set to take place this Saturday. Seidl concluded his media event by talking about how new manufacturers entering the competition would only be great results for the category pinnacle of motorsport heading into a new era of regulations and competition.

“I think it is simply important that whatever the next changes in regulations are, they need to be relevant. In terms of technology because that’s key in order to keep car manufacturers interested in Formula 1, but also in order to attract new manufacturers.”

“The engagement we have now with Mercedes we are more than happy and we are not looking for any change involving that. On the other hand, I think for Formula 1 it would be good to attract more manufacturers in the future.”

That’s the 🏁 for practice on Friday.

Lando finishes P9 and Daniel P15.#AustrianGP 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/lIKouBcV9S

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 2, 2021