Carlos Sainz lavished praise on McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl, the Spaniard insisting he had learned a lot from the German during his two years with the Woking-based outfit.
Of all the management and structural changes that have taken place at McLaren over the past two years, Zak Brown's hiring of Seidl can be seen in hindsight as a pivotal decision, with unquestionably positive effects.
Seidl, who worked in F1 in the past with BMW, arrived at McLaren in 2019 wreathed in success from his achievements as Porsche's LMP1 boss in the World Endurance Championship.
No one would argue with the 45-year-old's credentials, but Seidl's impact on McLaren has been far-reaching and transformative, elevating the papaya squad to a position among Formula 1's top-three teams in 2020.
"Andreas did a very good job for McLaren," said Sainz ahead of his move to Ferrari. "You just have to look at the results and how far the team has come in the last 18 months in which he has worked for the team.
"I only have positive things to say about Andreas, I admire him and have learned a lot from him over the past few months, including about his management style.
"I would like to thank Andreas for that because as a driver you naturally always want to be praised by the boss. That’s always good. Andreas knows more than anyone how I work, how I approach the races and he also knows where I am strong.
"There is nothing better than when your boss, who follows every race closely, evaluates you. But I don’t know how to deal with the praise. My father [rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr.] always says that praise only makes you weaker."
Seven-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo who will replace Sainz at McLaren this year is eagerly awaiting to work with Seidl.
"I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve heard a lot of good things about him from people who have worked with him," said the Aussie who has encountered a diverse set of team principals in his ten-year career in F1.
"There were a few strong characters there," he added. "I’ve learned from everyone and tried to benefit from them. Especially when you are young, you need experienced people around you to learn from them… like a sponge."
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