Formula 1: McLaren pulled off what no other team had achieved in 2021

After a great qualifying performance by both Daniel Riccardo and Lando Norris, McLaren took full advantage during the Italian Grand Prix, claiming the first 1-2 finish of the 2021 Formula 1 season.

Entering the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza, the last time McLaren had won a Formula 1 race was in the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

But Daniel Riccardo broke that streak on Sunday, winning the race ahead of teammate Lando Norris in second place.

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl expressed how proud he was of the team’s performance throughout the entire weekend, which saw the pair qualify in second and third place thanks to finishes of third and fourth in the sprint race.

"“First of all, I’m just happy and proud of the team today. I’m very proud of every single member of the team back home, here at the track, colleagues at Mercedes and Lando and Daniel.”"

With a fantastic start that saw him take the lead from former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen into turn one, Riccardo found himself leading a Grand Prix for the first time since 2018.

Despite having DRS and making several close attempts, Verstappen was unable to get past his old teammate.

Norris, who had lost out at the start of the race, was able to retake third place from Lewis Hamilton after one of the multiple clashes between championship rivals Verstappen and Hamilton.

Having held off Hamilton during the sprint race, Norris performed just as well during the race with the seven-time world champion on his tail, keeping him at bay for 23 laps.

While Hamilton was eventually able to pass Norris, a big crash between the championship rivals gave Norris a chance to make his way back up the field into second place.

Despite the constant pressure from the likes of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez behind, Norris was able to secure a career-high result behind only his teammate.

With this 1-2 finish, the first for any team in the 2021 season, McLaren have re-taken third place in the constructor standings from Ferrari, and Daniel Riccardo has jumped up into eighth in the driver standings.

Not only did both drivers perform flawlessly; their teamwork, from Norris following team orders not to attack Riccardo to Riccardo providing a slipstream for Norris, is ultimately what allowed them to pull off this achievement.