In the world of Formula 1, Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, recently shared that he considered promoting Andrea Stella to the team principal role in 2018. However, Stella himself did not believe he was ready for the role at that time. Fast forward to December 2022, when Andreas Seidl left McLaren to oversee Sauber’s transition to Audi, Stella was given the opportunity to take charge. It was a challenging period for the team, facing eliminations in Q1 with an underdeveloped package. But, with improvements introduced from the Austrian Grand Prix, McLaren quickly became a force to be reckoned with, securing nine podiums and a Sprint race victory. The team’s success continued in the current season, reaching its peak when Lando Norris clinched his first win at the Miami Grand Prix. When asked about Stella’s impressive leadership qualities, Brown praised his ability to lead by example, his thoughtful and transparent communication style, and his dedication to team performance above all. Stella is known for his hard work, willingness to listen and consider different perspectives, and his calm demeanor. He focuses solely on the task at hand and does not get distracted by other activities. Brown described Stella as an inspiring and motivating leader who communicates clearly and simply, without 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 choose to appoint someone with an engineering background as team principal. Brown believes that Stella’s involvement in handling commercial matters allowed him to fully focus on the racing side, thus accelerating McLaren’s continuous progress.
According to Brown, having an engineer in charge of the team is crucial, given the current composition of Formula 1 teams. In the past, the role of the team principal involved managing the racing team, dealing with the media, and taking care of partnerships. However, with the exponential growth of the sport, Brown takes on a significant portion of these responsibilities, allowing Stella to focus exclusively on the racing team.
Brown believes that the best approach for McLaren is to have a hybrid CEO/team principal role, rather than 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 all evaluation meetings, leading to enhanced performance and focus. If Brown were the team principal, something would inevitably have to be sacrificed due to the broad scope of managing 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 he was not 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 again about the position, Stella took his time to reflect and consider his strengths and weaknesses. This thoughtful approach ultimately led Stella to accept the position and prove that he was truly ready for the challenge.
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