"Credit to Seidl for binding him"

Andreas Seidl is the one who was responsible for bringing Oscar Piastri into McLaren (thus simultaneously heralding the dismissal of Daniel Ricciardo). Zak Brown, in an interview with Speedcafe.com all credit to his team principal. The CEO of the Woking-based team is himself only too pleased with the contracting of Piastri.

Seidl and Brown aligned

Seidl was given the freedom by Brown to decide what the 2023 line-up would look like. It was the 46-year-old German who ended up with Piastri. Naturally, as the boss himself, Brown was also heard about the choice of Piastri and the American proved enthusiastic.

“We think very similar – I can’t think of any decisions that we haven’t both agreed on, whether that’s driver or other performance-related [issues]. So it was Andreas who brought it forward, it was Andreas who recruited him [Piastri], it was Andreas that had the relationship with Mark," Brown elaborates. "Obviously, I’ve seen him [Piastri] race, know his background, but credit to Andreas for binding him."

McLaren will start next season with Piastri and Lando Norris at the wheel. The British formation will hope to link up with top teams Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and Mercedes, but more likely it promises to be another battle with Alpine. With Piastri as a rookie, McLaren may not fully optimise especially in the first phase of the year.

Piastri needs time

Moreover, Piastri has spent the past year sitting along the sidelines and not racing anywhere full-time, Brown stressed. In the past, we saw with Esteban Ocon that that is a disadvantage after all. McLaren is giving the young Australian time to settle in and get back in shape. Brown further wants to avoid at all costs the expectation that Piastri will 'just make Ricciardo forget'. He speaks of a long-term project.