What a difference a week makes. McLaren F1 Team Principal Andreas Seidl readily admits that he walked into the McLaren Technology Centre with a sizeable headache the morning after a frustrating Dutch Grand Prix – a race which saw the team come away with just a solitary point. Fast forward a week and Andreas was suffering from another headache but, this time, for an altogether different reason.

After McLaren’s first win in nine years and a historic one-two at the Italian Grand Prix, he looks back on a momentous weekend in Monza for the team…

Nine years. It’s certainly been a while since McLaren last enjoyed that winning feeling. And to do it the way we did, with a one-two, is even better.

I’m so incredibly proud of every single member of the team, both at the track and at the MTC, and our colleagues at Mercedes HPP. We pulled off a one-two on merit: with a competitive car, a reliable car, quickest pit-stop, fastest lap and a great strategy. And, perhaps most importantly, we withstood the pressure that came from both knowing we had a competitive car in Monza and coming off the back of a tough race in Zandvoort and last race of a triple-header. We knew we had to take the opportunity to score good points at the Italian Grand Prix and delivering under this kind of pressure showed, once again, that we already have a lot of the ingredients we need to fight at the front.

We remain as ambitious as ever but realistic at the same time. It’s essential that we keep our feet on the ground; we still have a lot of work to do. There will no doubt be challenges as we continue our journey back to the front of the grid but, if we keep working hard and stick together as a team, I'm convinced we can take that next step in the years ahead.

Everyone in the team has played an important part in getting us back on the top step of the podium, but I want to dedicate a few words to our drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. In Formula 1, you need a lot of things to succeed, but when you strip everything back you need two human beings – the heroes of our sport – who perform behind the wheel and pull it off; both Daniel and Lando did that at the Italian Grand Prix. I’m very proud of how they performed in Monza and the team spirit they showed.

What Lando has achieved so far this year is unbelievable and it’s counted for even more as Daniel has taken time to get up to speed with the car. Lando has been on the pace from the outset. The maturity he’s shown and the progress he’s made is extremely impressive. He’s delivered at every grand prix and this has been crucial in our fight for third in the Constructors’ Championship.

As for Daniel, there’s a reason why we wanted to bring him to the team: he’s a proven race winner. He knows how to deliver and that’s exactly what he did at the Italian Grand Prix. He’s a great racer, one of the best in F1, and he’s not bad company out of the car either. It’s taken a bit of time for him to adjust and get settled – changing teams is very complex, we all know that – but it’s been pleasing to see how he’s approached this challenge together with the team. The victory in Monza was a great reward for his determination and hard work.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank my leadership team, Piers Thynne (Executive Director, Operations), James Key (Executive Director, Technical) and Andrea Stella (Executive Director, Racing), who are doing an excellent job leading their areas and working together between the different departments. We’re fully aligned and share the same vision of how we want to get McLaren back to the front in F1, which is hugely satisfying and a lot of fun.

It was great to celebrate such a special result with the team at the MTC last week. The emotions we’ve experienced since the Italian Grand Prix are why I love motorsport and it’s important we enjoy these moments together as a team. Let’s keep pushing so we can experience this winning feeling again. This one is for the team, our fans and partners. I’m sure there’s more to come!

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