Seidl: We look to keep pushing and deliver upgrades

The switch from Renault to Mercedes power was a masterstroke and has worked out-of-the-box as McLaren are clearly best placed to pick up the pieces when the Red Bull and Mercedes quartet trip up as was the case at the drama-strewn Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Lando Norris, who grows in stature with every race (after all he is only 21-years-old) is third in the standings while newcomer Daniel Ricciardo dials himself into the new setup. But that should only be a matter of a few more races.

At the helm, Seidl is cautiously optimistic ahead of this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix: "There’s still a lot of work to do as we look to keep pushing and deliver upgrades that are in the pipeline.

"We also need to continue to maximise any opportunities that present themselves and make the right decisions to stay in the mix. Every single member of the team is dedicated to giving our competition a hard time out on track. We remain focused and are ready to go again this weekend.”

After the far too long break between Bahrain and Imola, coupled with the two-week hiatus between Italy and Portimao this weekend, the record 23-round season ramps up to the next gear with the forthcoming Portugal-Spain doubleheader adding to the challenges of racing in current lockdown conditions.

Seidl said in the team preview: "We start the first double-header of the season as we prepare to go racing in Portugal then Spain. Portimão was a welcome addition to the calendar last year and it’s great to be returning to race there again.

"Back-to-back events provide a unique set of challenges for the team that we’re well prepared for. Reliability, operational effectiveness and the management of spare parts are crucial to the success of these weekends.

“Imola again provided confirmation of the step forward we’ve made as a team, which is encouraging to see. Both drivers are doing a good job on-track and have scored some important points for the Constructors’ Championship over the first two races. It’s important that we keep the positive momentum and energy up," added Seidl.

Norris said in the team's Portugal race weekend preview: “Being on the podium for the second time in Formula 1 was an amazing feeling, but I couldn’t have done it without every single person in the team. Everyone at track and the factory continues to go above and beyond to give us the best possible chance every weekend.

"The result shows the progress we’re making to compete closer towards the front of the grid, but we know not every race will go in our favour. We just need to keep our head down and look to improve in all areas to find that extra tenth that can give us the edge against strong competition.

"I think Imola really showed us that we need to try and turn every opportunity into an advantage with the fight being so close.

“I’m glad we get to return to Portugal this weekend as it was a circuit that added something different to last year’s calendar. The elevation changes at this track make it a demanding drive with several blind corners.

"Everyone was struggling for grip there last year with the track being recently resurfaced, so it’ll be interesting to see what it’s like this weekend. Hopefully, we’ll be able to push the car a bit more this time around," said Norris.