F.1godfather

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed the deal he made with team principal Andreas Seidl to be “one of the best I have ever cut”.

The Woking-based team has risen from the abyss under Brown’s tutelage, turning around fortunes from the disastrous Honda partnership in the middle of the last decade to winning its first race in 170 grands prix at Monza, courtesy of Daniel Ricciardo.

Brown has a history of making deals with drivers, including offering NASCAR fan Ricciardo a drive in a Dale Earnhardt car owned by the American, as well as promising an F1 test for Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward.

After the team secured its one-two finish in the Italian Grand Prix, Brown explained his deal with Seidl.

“Extremely proud,” Brown told Sky Sports F1 with regard to the victory. “It is all the men and women at McLaren, it’s Andreas, his leadership team, my leadership team, our leadership team.

“I am just happy I cut a deal with Andreas.

“I cut deals with the drivers and Andreas, and I actually cut a deal which was he [Seidl] does all the work and gets the win, I get to lift the trophy.

“One of the best deals I have ever cut! I am always up for a deal.”

Seidl leadership “the type you want in F1”

Seidl was cautious over McLaren becoming complacent after the victory given the team was “destroyed” at Zandvoort just a week earlier.

Agreeing with his colleague, Brown paid testament to Seidl’s wherewithal as a key asset as the team looks to build into the future.

“Andreas is always very calm, I think that is the type of leadership you want in a Formula 1 team.

“As he says, one win and last weekend wasn’t very good so we have got to keep our feet on the ground and one win at a time.”