Seidl looking forward to 'special moment' at home race

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McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl is obviously no stranger to the Nürburgring, but F1's return to the Eifel circuit will represent a "special moment" for the papaya squad's team boss.

F1 will race at the German track for the first time since 2013, an opportunity the country's fans owe to the coronavirus pandemic which forced the cancellation of several races and their replacement with venues that were not originally scheduled to appear on the sport's 2020 calendar.

"Racing at the Nürburgring for the first time in F1 since 2013 is exciting for the sport," Seidl said.

"It’s a circuit I’ve done a lot of races at in varying conditions in my racing life. Due to the time of year, the weather could be an interesting challenge that we’ll have to factor in over the weekend.

"Travelling to my home country to go racing is always a special moment for me.

"It’ll also be great to see the German fans back in the grandstands and following the safety protocols in place to ensure everyone at track is safe.

"Hopefully we can put on a good race that the fans deserve."

Unfortunately, McLaren left Russia with zero points in its bag, a first for the team this season. Carlos Sainz retired on the opening lap at Sochi while a struggling Lando Norris finished a distant 15th.

Read also: Seidl no fan of introducing 'artificial randomness' into F1

A turnaround is therefore in order for McLaren, not only to put its Russian mishap behind but also, more importantly, to defend its third place in the Constructors' standings from rivals Racing Point and Renault.

"The team both at track and the factory have done an incredible job so far this season, but there are still seven races to go," said Seidl.

"Following on from the upgrades deployed in Russia, we’ll continue to upgrade the car and aim to improve performance over the remainder of the season.

"We need to keep consolidating our strengths, improving our weakness, being mentally resilient and pushing as one unified team in the fight for points."

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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.