McLaren’s♕ performance at the Austrian Grand Prix proved that the team’s impressive pace was “not just a one-off”, according to its new Formula 1 boss Andreas Seidl.

The British squad locked out the third r🌞🌺ow of the grid and recorded a two-car points finish in France, before following that up with another strong double points haul in Austria, with Lando Norris claiming sixth, while teammate Carlos Sainz turned in a stunning recovery drive from the back of the grid to finish eighth.

McLar♓en has strengthened its grip on fourth place in the constructors’ championship as a result, having pulled 20 points clear of nearest midfie💞ld rival and engine suppliers Renault.

“It was good fo🙈r us to confirm that Pa🗹ul Ricard was not just a one-off,” Seidl said.

“We are clearly, I think, overall fourth quickest team again h♏ere [in Austria]. It was good to extend the lead of the midfield world championship by 2💝0 points.

“I think no one expected inside the team last♌ year that we could after finishing the season as the ninth fastest car to make such a step.

“Again, it simp♈ly shows that a lot of the changes that have been tri🌠ggered already last year are paying off. The team did a good job in bringing these cars, this year’s car on track. They understood a lot.”

Seidl also paid tribut🌸e to the influence former drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne had on the development of the MCL34, due to their feedback of last year’s car.

“I think we should also pay a lot of credit to Fernando [Alonso] and Stoffel [Vandoorne], pointing out what the weaknesses are and which direction they had to develop the car, wꦚhich pay♌s off now.

“And now, obviously the target is for us, this year to sti🐎ll keep going with the development of the car. Of course now we want to make sure we can keep this position for a while. Bu🌠t still we have seen it can also change quickly again.

“It’s still a tight battle. I mean the gaps that we had, it’s nothing over a race distance. So it’s important to, again, not to get too excited about it. To keep out head down and keep fo🦩cusing on the weaknesses we still have on the car.”