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Andreas Seidl (middle) with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo
McLaren’s Zak Brown attributed the team’s turnaround in Formula 1 to the appointment of team manager Andreas Seidl.
Seidl oversees the team’s F1 operations, having enjoyed success as head of the Porsche World Endurance Championship team.
He joined McLaren in May 2019, a year in which the Woking-based team finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship with a total of 145 points from 21 races (6.9 pts / race).
Under the leadership of Seidl who became third in the constructors’ title in 2020 with 202 points at a rate of 11.9 pts / race.
This is a trend that has continued in the current campaign, averaging almost 15 pts / race over the 17 races so far.
In contrast, in 2018, the last full season before Seidl arrived, McLaren scored 62 points from 21 races, an average of just 2.9 pts / race.
“I think it starts with your people,” Brown said when asked why McLaren’s form has reversed in recent seasons.
“Andreas and his team have done an amazing job.
“My role is to get the best people in the company, [and I] I think I did this by starting with Andreas and then giving them the right resources, the freedom and the confidence to let them do what they do best.
“This is exactly the relationship between Andreas and me; he leads the racing team, he has full autonomy to lead the racing team as he sees fit, and I’m here to support him in any way he needs.
It’s an approach Brown has also taken with McLaren’s IndyCar program, led by Taylor Kiel.
McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward finished third behind Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden in the 2021 title race.
This is a result that roughly matches the team’s effort in 2020 and precedes further investment in the United States in the operation.
“They are great leaders in their respective racing teams,†Brown said of Seidl and Kiel.
“I think they adopt the same similar philosophy; Andreas gets the best people he can, gives them great leadership, and then he trusts them and empowers them to fulfill their role.
“Motor racing is a lot of momentum and now we have momentum, going from strength to strength.
“[We’re] We always make mistakes and have bad weekends, but we go out and try to learn from them by constantly trying to improve. “
McLaren currently holds a slim 3.5 point advantage over the resurgent Ferrari operation in the F1 Constructors’ Championship with five rounds remaining.
Next up is the Mexico City Grand Prix, the opening practice of which will start at 4.30am AEDT on Saturday morning.
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