Seidl: McLaren must maintain high standards for success

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says the team’s operational and strategy must meet its current high expectations if it hopes to secure positive results at the Monaco Grand Prix.

McLaren set the top two fastest pit stop times at the Spanish Grand Prix, while race strategy for Carlos Sainz paid off with eighth place despite the driver feeling he had “no pace”, which is an element of the team Seidl has been impressed by since starting his new team principal role earlier this month.

Seidl, who enjoyed success as boss of Porsche’s LMP1 programme, says he expects similarly high standards which he believes will prove pivotal for the team’s chances of strong results in Monaco.

McLaren has endured a difficult few days following Fernando Alonso’s failure to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, with the fallout focusing on its car operation issues, which saw Bob Fernley leave the team after his contract expired.

While McLaren’s F1 operations run separately to its IndyCar efforts, Seidl has underlined the need to retain its strengths over its rivals for strategy calls “in the heat of the moment”.

“Monaco presents us with a unique challenge within the F1 season. The importance of qualifying is even higher there than at other tracks and it will be especially important that our trackside processes and operations work as they should,” Seidl said. “Points are on offer, but only if we ensure that the weekend runs smoothly.

“We’ve also been working hard since the test in Spain to analyse the information gathered and understand more about the characteristics of our car and the upgrades we brought there, and apply that learning this weekend.

“Given the nature of the Monaco circuit and the scenarios that regularly play out there, pit-stops and the right strategy calls can often play a pivotal role in the outcome of the race.

“In Spain, we proved that we can execute the fastest pit-stops on the grid and that we have a strategy team which excels in making the right calls in the heat of the moment. Maintaining and improving this high standard is one of our priorities for this weekend.”

Sainz’s eighth place at his home race has strengthened McLaren’s grip on fourth place in the current F1 world constructors’ championship heading into the Monaco round. The Woking-based squad has moved five points clear of Racing Point in fifth place and is seven points ahead of Haas in sixth.