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Lando and Oscar were in a smiley mood as they completed their media duties at the McLaren Technology Centre, following a team-wide celebration of their Hungarian Grand Prix one-two.

Taking place directly ahead of the summer break, with all of this year’s Formula 1 trophies on display, it also provided the ideal opportunity to reflect on a hugely successful start to the season that has proven right their decisions to put their faith in McLaren.

The speed of the success might have caught them off guard, but both had seen more than enough from the team to know that trophies were in our future.

“When you’re within a team, and when you’re within F1, you understand things a lot more than people do on the outside,” Lando told Sky Sports F1, looking back on his decision to sign a new contract with the team in January. “One of those things was the structure we had, the morale we had within the team. This was stuff I already saw last year.

“And we still had even more things that were added to the team this year. In a nice way, it’s good to see that what I thought was the correct thing has turned out to be the correct thing and that my faith and belief in the team has come true.”

Oscar, who had already extended his contract with the team by September 2023, just 15 races into his McLaren career, added: “I don’t think any of us ever dreamed of winning races, especially 18 months on from how we started last season, so it’s been a pretty remarkable turnaround, to say the least, and it has been a real pleasure to be a part of it.

“I think the extent of the success has maybe surprised us a little bit, but it is always a nice surprise when you are winning more trophies than you thought.”

Having started last season at the back of the grid, we enjoyed a huge turnaround of form from the British Grand Prix onwards, when we introduced a brand-new concept of car. This led to nine podiums from the final 13 races, with the MCL60 emerging as one of the quickest cars on circuits that suited its characteristics.

Heading into 2024, the aim was to produce a car that was more consistent and quicker on all types of track. We started the season strongly, making Q3 and scoring points in each of the first five grands prix, before an upgrade ahead of the Miami Grand Prix saw us take another huge step forward as Lando won his first race.

The Miami upgrade has seen us become championship contenders, with 11 podiums from the last 10 races. This also included a maiden victory for Oscar, marking the first time since 2001 that two drivers from the same team have taken their first wins in the same season. 

"At the end of last year, we had a very quick car on certain circuits, but we really needed to rely on those circuits to get good results," the Australian told Sky Sports F1.

"This year, we've just been quick everywhere, and that's been a joy to be a part of, but a real confidence boost to everybody that we're not relying on the high-speed corners like we were last year. We can rock up and be pretty confident we'll be, if not the quickest, then one of the quickest.

“I feel like I'm growing in confidence. Getting some more good results and just learning more through my second year as well.”

For the first time since 2012, both McLaren drivers have won a race going into the summer break. It’s also the first time since 2012 that we’ve gone into the summer break as high as second in the Constructors’ Championship, with a genuine chance at the title.

None of this success would have been possible without the collective efforts across the team, from CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella to Lando and Oscar and those within each individual department.

“I’m proud of where we are and what we’re doing and it’s for us to try and keep up,” Lando said. “We’re good and the team is in very good form, we’re trusting one another, we’re working together very well and for us, that’s the most important thing.

“It’s a strength of ours. It’s why we’re now doing what we’re doing, which is performing as one of the best teams, if not the best team in F1.”

Lando, Oscar, and the team are now in the middle of our summer break, relaxing and recharging ahead of the second half of the year, with 10 races remaining and a 42-point gap to first in the Constructors’ Championship.