Andreas Seidl spoke to selected media, including MotorLat, about how the MCL35M has developed throughout the whole of 2021, a year that brought a more protagonist McLaren, despite being in the spotlight already when finishing P3 on the 2020 constructors’ standings. Now, the Woking-based team has reached a maiden Monza victory and has been in the fight for another win at Sochi, as well as fighting for pole positions this year.  

“Yes, I do agree we’re still track-specific. At the same time, I still think that the development of the car throughout the season has allowed us a better understanding of the team and how to gain even more out of the package that we have.”

“I think we made steps into the car performance on all tracks, as for example, we saw in Hungary. But I think it’s still a way to go from now, at least with the Ferraris. We have everything in our hands to keep them behind us, and whenever there are opportunities to explore, we’re going to be there,” the McLaren Team Principal said.

Looking for the limits from the off in Turkey. 📐💪#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/7ALrgjpzLR

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 8, 2021

With the feeling of a lost victory still fresh on the memory, Seidl explained what happened the last laps inside the McLaren team when they, altogether with Lando Norris, exchanged a 1st place finish for a final P7 in the circuit of Sochi, in pretty much five laps.

“In the end, we as a team should have instructed Lando to box the lap after Lewis.  I think everything else before that, was pretty much 50/50.”

“As always and even as we did, before and after Monza, we do the same analysis and look at every single detail of what happened at the weekend, noticing we have a lot of positives as well, and simply try to overcome, together with the drivers, what we could’ve done better. Communication in the last laps, for example, between pit-wall and Lando.”

Earlier this week, Lando Norris opened up to the British TV on his mental health and how McLaren has helped him grow as a person as well as a driver. The German expressed how supporting mental health mentality works inside McLaren with every single member and how they protect particularly the 21-years old driver for Formula 1’s environment.

“How we’ve come along this is, openly speaking about how we face these challenges in Formula 1. In the end that simply mirrors what I see each time, young guys coming into this category because that’s obviously the dream, but at the same time, coming to Formula 1 is huge, with all the challenges they’re facing not just in the car.”

“We know how challenging are also the commitments these guys have outside the car. At the same time, you always have this doubting, asking if you’re actually good enough to make it.”

“In the end, Lando’s well protected from his environment as well. On the team’s side, to give him the time in order to grow, in order to build his confidence, and that’s seen in terms of results. Together with our drivers, we take that approach, that there’s no blaming culture ongoing, which is a waste of energy.”

“The way we do it in the team is an inclusive approach, speaking on the challenges everyone is facing, that’s quite individual as well. Simply try to help our people,” he concluded.