McLaren's Seidl mainly focused on 2021 regulation changes

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New McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl says his main focus in the coming months will be on Formula 1's 2021 regulations and the opportunity they will provide for the Woking-based outfit.

Seidl was on the McLaren pitwall for the first time last weekend in Barcelona, where he witnessed Carlos Sainz's second consecutive run in the points.

The German engineer who spearheaded Porsche's massively successful LMP1 efforts in the WEC is still setting in at McLaren, getting acquainted with his new environment and defining the strategies that lay ahead.

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Seidl will put his imprint on McLaren, but he won't do it on a whim or by resorting to radical decisions.

"I think it's important now that I take my time to really get into the details of what is existing at Woking, how the team’s working," he said last weekend in Spain.

"And then obviously, I think working closely together with the key players also in the team to get ready for the future."

What the future entails for McLaren could depend on the regulation platform F1 will usher in from 2021, the details of which have yet to be set in stone by F1 commercial rights holder Liberty Media, the FIA and the teams.

"It's important, I think, to work out a clear plan, a clear vision, together with Zak [Brown - McLaren CEO], of how we approach the next years.

"And then I think, when we look ahead, there's some big challenges coming with the new regulations also.

"But I think especially for a team like us, it's also a great opportunity, and that will be the focus now in the next months for me."

©McLaren

McLaren boss Zak Brown was more than happy to welcome Seidl to Woking after negotiating his hiring last year, not only for the German's outstanding expertise but also for the strength it has brought to an overall management foundation that is now complete.

"I'm really pleased with the team we have on the field," said Brown before jetting off to Indianapolis to oversee McLaren's endeavor at the Brickyard with Fernando Alonso.

"Between Andreas, James Key [McLaren's new technical director, formerly with Toro Rosso], the promotions we’ve made, the other people we brought in, I now feel from a personnel standpoint, we've got our team in place.

"We're now making progress," added the American.

"I think last year, when we started making changes, was the step forward, and Andreas joining is just another big step in that process.

"I really don't think it'll be till 2020 that everyone that's sitting here today has contributed to the race car and the racing team."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.