McLaren extends Andrea Stella’s contract as team principal
McLaren has just announced the extension of Andrea Stella's contract as Formula 1 team principal. The Italian has led the Woking-based team in F1 since 2023 and the departure of Andreas Seidl to Sauber. He spent many years with Scuderia Ferrari, before moving to McLaren in 2015. He has re-signed for at least two seasons (until the end of 2026).
McLaren confirms on Thursday evening the contract extension of Andrea Stella as Team Principal, marking a crucial step in the team’s quest to return to the top of Formula 1. Since taking up this position, Stella has injected a new momentum into the team, leading to truly impressive progress in a world where gaining tenths on track is tailored to months.
Under his leadership, McLaren has undergone a cultural and organizational transformation, consolidating its position as a team capable of winning races for several months now. Andrea Stella expressed in the McLaren statement his commitment to the papayas, highlighting the progress made over the past year and a half. “It is a privilege to be part of the McLaren Formula 1 team, and I am honored to continue as Team Principal,” he declared.
Stella insists on synergy within the team as the key to success, stating that her role has allowed her to unleash the talent of each team member and to encourage effective collaboration towards the team’s common goals. « We have made great strides, but we still have a lot of work to do to consistently compete at the front of the grid, which is an exciting challenge, » he adds.
On his side, Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, hails Stella’s leadership, describing her impact as “profound” both on the team’s performance and its internal culture. “I am delighted to confirm that we have extended Andrea’s contract as Team Principal for several years,” says Brown. He emphasizes that Stella’s expertise and the respect she commands within the team and Formula 1 make her the ideal person to continue striving to constantly compete at the front of the grid. “His excellent leadership, expertise, and the respect he garners within the team and Formula 1 make him the best person to continue leading us to regularly compete at the front of the grid,” Brown says.
With the contract extensions of several years already concluded with Lando, Oscar, and now Andrea, we can confidently continue our quest to become world champions. We are all looking forward to the coming years under Andrea’s leadership.
The contract extension of Andrea Stella indeed contrasts even more sharply when looking at the complicated situation of several teams, constantly undergoing restructuring, whether it be Alpine or Sauber/Audi, at the moment.
