In the world of Formula 1, Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, recently shared that he had considered promoting Andrea Stella to the position of team boss back in 2018. However, Stella himself didn’t believe he was quite ready for the role at that time. Fast forward to December 2022, when Andreas Seidl left McLaren to oversee Sauber’s transition to Audi, and Stella was given the opportunity to take charge. It was a challenging period for the team, as they faced eliminations in the Q1 stage with an underdeveloped package. But with upgrades introduced from the Austrian Grand Prix onwards, McLaren quickly became a force to be reckoned with, achieving nine podium finishes and a Sprint win. The team’s success has continued into the current season, reaching its peak when Lando Norris secured his first-ever victory at the Miami Grand Prix. When asked about Stella’s impressive qualities as a leader, Brown praised his ability to lead by example, his thoughtful and transparent communication style, and his dedication to the team’s performance above all else. Stella is known for his hard work, his willingness to listen and consider different perspectives, and his calm demeanor. He focuses solely on the task at hand and doesn’t let himself get distracted by other activities. Brown described Stella as an inspiring and motivating leader who communicates clearly and simply, without any hidden agendas. Stella’s impact on the team’s progress over the past year and a half is undeniable.
Stella’s appointment is part of a growing trend in Formula 1 where decision-makers are opting to hand the team principal position to someone with an engineering background. Brown believes that his involvement in handling commercial matters has allowed Stella to fully focus on the racing side of things, thus accelerating McLaren’s ongoing progress.
According to Brown, having an engineer in charge of the team is crucial given the current makeup of Formula 1 teams. In the past, the team principal’s role involved managing the racing team, dealing with the media, and handling partnerships. However, with the sport growing exponentially, Brown takes on a significant portion of those responsibilities, allowing Stella to concentrate solely on the racing team.
Brown believes that the best approach for McLaren is to have a CEO/team principal hybrid role instead of the traditional team principal position. The sport has become so complex and multifaceted that spreading oneself too thin is a real concern. By delegating media and partner commitments to Brown, Stella can actively participate in every debrief, which ultimately leads to improved performance and focus. If Brown were to be the team principal, something would inevitably have to give due to the extensive scope of running a Formula 1 team.
Brown revealed that he had preliminary discussions with Stella about taking over the team when Eric Boullier resigned in 2018. However, Stella felt that he wasn’t ready for the role at that time. Despite not wanting to be promoted, Stella still took on a larger role within the team. Even when Brown approached him about the position again, Stella took his time to reflect and consider his strengths and weaknesses. This thoughtful approach ultimately led to Stella accepting the role and proving that he was indeed ready for the challenge.