Seidl Rues ‘Unfortunate’ Safety Car at Zandvoort that Costs Norris Sixth to Alonso

Andreas Seidl says the McLaren F1 Team ‘worked very hard’ throughout the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, and they were rewarded with Lando Norris taking seventh place on Sunday afternoon.

The Team Principal of the Woking-based team believes sixth would have been the result but for the late race safety car, which meant Fernando Alonso was able to get ahead of him, but overall, it was pleasing to see Norris battling hard inside the top ten.

It was not such a good weekend for Daniel Ricciardo in the second MCL36, with the Australian unable to better his starting position of seventeenth on Sunday afternoon, with the Circuit Zandvoort offering very little in the way of opportunity for him.

The third race of the triple header comes next weekend at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy, and Seidl says they will be doing everything they can to get ahead of the BWT Alpine F1 Team there, after they fell twenty-four points back in the Constructors’ Championship with only seven races to go.

“Strong race for Lando this afternoon, finishing P7,” said Seidl.  “The Safety Car at the end of the race was a little unfortunate for him, and he had to make another stop to defend against cars doing the same.

“That cost us a position to Fernando [Alonso] who had fresher tyres and could go to the end. On Daniel’s side, it was always a difficult task from P17 to make up positions on this track and unfortunately no opportunities came his way to make any progress.  

“The team worked very hard this weekend: here at the track; back home at the MTC, and our colleagues at Mercedes HPP. Our strategists had complex calls to make today, but they were good calls and the strategy team and pit-crew worked well to determine and implement them.

“Two races down in this triple-header and we go again in five days at Monza. We look forward to that – but well done to Zandvoort and the Dutch fans for putting on a great event with a truly sensational atmosphere.”