(L to R): Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren celebrates his third position with Andrea Stella (ITA) McLaren Team Principal and second placed team mate Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren. 24.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan, Race Day.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has explained how he is trying to emulate some aspects of the Ferrari and Michael Schumacher golden era at his current side.
Before arriving at McLaren in 2015, Stella worked for Ferrari and played a role in the team securing five straight Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles at the turn of the century.
The now 52-year-old, who worked as an engineer, witnessed close hand the meticulously run operation spearheaded by Team Principal Jean Todt and Technical Director Ross Brawn alongside Schumacher.
Having conceded that Ferrari neglected those core principles of “seniority” and “continuity” during Fernando Alonso’s stint in red, Stella reveals that he is attempting to replicate key details from the Maranello camp’s sustained run at the top to his present leadership position at McLaren.
“The seniority, the quality of the people involved; it was just extraordinary [at Ferrari],” Stella said on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
“I think some of them they even accepted to stay in a certain role, knowing that they were absolutely ready to pick one or two higher levels had they gone to another team, but they accepted to stay in that role because that’s what was needed to create what was possibly the strongest team that we have seen in Formula 1.
“There was so much continuity in this journey where you keep identifying what you need to add and you keep building brick by brick. I think this is something that we sort of missed during the Fernando era [2010-14]. And we could have built it, but definitely would have needed a lot of continuity and this brick by brick approach that was established as of the mid 90’s at Ferrari.
“There are some elements of the script that haven’t changed over the years, independently of the role that I’ve been on. And continuity and seniority, they do form part of this script. And this is what we are trying to do what McLaren as well.”
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari on the grid with Andrea Stella (ITA) Ferrari Race Engineer. 30.06.2013. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 8, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Race Day.
Stella replaced Alfa Romeo-bound Andreas Seidl at the helm over the winter but endured a baptism of fire as McLaren battled to avoid Q1 eliminations with an underdeveloped version of its MCL60 car early in the year.
However, the Italian opted to restructure McLaren’s technical department, removing ex-Technical Director James Key and implementing a three-pronged arrangement.
That alteration has already yielded an instant upturn in results, with the debut of a heavily revised car in Austria back in July enabling the British team to collect seven podiums.
Meanwhile, McLaren’s new state-of-the-art wind tunnel has recently come online, and the team’s ranks will be bolstered by the arrival of Ferrari’s David Sanchez and Rob Marshall from Red Bull in January 2024.
Stella has likened those acquisitions to adding “horsepower to the team”, the type that he stressed was required for McLaren to take the challenge to F1’s biggest names.
“We definitely wanted to work on this seniority element, bringing what we call horsepower to the team,” Stella added.
“We want to compete with Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari. In itself it’s a daunting mission, and we need to be well equipped.
“So, we are very excited that David and Rob will contribute with their expertise, with their experience, with their vision towards this generation of cars and also towards 2026.
“Like all teams will have to face this important challenge that is already in the agenda and you need to be equipped.”
However, Stella outlined that McLaren’s current crop is responsible for inspiring its remarkable recovery across 2023.
“[The development we’ve had] was the result of the people that were already at McLaren and the 2024 car will be the result of the people that are already at McLaren,” he contended.
“In 2024, we will see what we are able to do in terms of continuing with the development of the car. We will have, and we already have in fairness, full exploitation of the infrastructure that came to fruition: wind tunnel, simulator, manufacturing facilities.”
Keyword: Stella trying to emulate Ferrari/Schumacher F1 success at McLaren