Yahoo Autos McLaren signs Stella to multi-year contract extension
McLaren has given team principal Andrea Stella a multi-year contract extension, rewarding his role in the significant progress made during his tenure so far.
Stella took over as team principal from Andreas Seidl ahead of the 2023 season, and while McLaren started that year a long way off the pace he installed a new technical structure that helped deliver a clear step forward mid-season last year. A similar step was found in Miami this year to put McLaren in a position to win multiple races, and with the team rapidly closing in on leaders Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, Stella is set to remain at the head of the Formula 1 team for a number of years to come.
“It’s a privilege to be part of the McLaren Formula 1 team, and I am honored to continue in my role as team principal,” Stella said. “We’ve made great strides forward in the past year and a half and we still have a lot more work to do to consistently fight at the front of the grid, which poses an exciting challenge.
“Success comes through the team working in synergy, and I am enjoying my role, which has allowed me to help unlock individual talent and empower people to work together towards our team’s objectives.
“My thanks go to Zak [Brown] for his confidence in me as a leader, to my entire leadership team and all my colleagues in the team, for their continued collaboration and support. I am excited for what we can continue to achieve together.”
The agreement follows new multi-year contracts for drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri over the past 12 months, with McLaren Racing CEO Brown — who has previously admitted Stella had an even bigger impact than he expected — saying the key components are in place to allow McLaren to fight for championships with regularity moving forward.
“I am delighted to confirm we’ve extended Andrea’s contract as our F1 team principal for multiple years,” Brown said. “His excellent leadership, expertise and the respect he holds within the team and Formula 1 means we could not have a better person in place to continue the pursuit of consistently fighting at the front of the grid.
“His impact on McLaren F1 in his role as team principal has been profound, not only through our results on track and the trajectory of the team but also in his development of our culture and mindset.
“With multi-year extensions already agreed with Lando, Oscar, and now Andrea, we can confidently continue on our quest to become world champions. We’re all looking forward to the years to come under Andrea’s leadership.”
