Andrea Stella will be at McLaren for a long time to come. The surprise signing of Gianpiero Lambiase by McLaren initially led some to speculate that the Italian-British engineer might have a future as the Woking squad’s Team Principal—especially as rumors began to circulate linking Andrea Stella with a move to Ferrari. However, those reports quickly proved to be groundless. The official statement from the papaya garage announcing the arrival of “GP” from Red Bull had already confirmed that the team’s helm remains firmly in the hands of the engineer and manager from Orvieto. To reiterate, should there be any lingering doubt, McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stepped up to emphasize Stella’s central role within the organization.
Zak Brown speaks out
During an extensive video conference, which FormulaPassion.it attended, the American manager sent a signal of almost unconditional confidence toward the Team Principal who has delivered two Constructors’ titles and one Drivers’ title over the last two years. “Can I confirm that this rumor (of Lambiase taking over the team from Stella) is complete nonsense? Yes, I confirm it! It is absolute nonsense. There are some teams that put these types of rumors into circulation and fuel them, but this kind of ploy doesn’t work with us,” Brown stated firmly.
“Andrea is very committed to McLaren, and we are very committed to Andrea,” Zak Brown added. “We couldn’t be happier with the current situation. You will see him wearing the McLaren shirt for quite a while longer. Possible tensions between him and Lambiase? They will work together 100% effectively; in fact, Andrea Stella himself was the person who made the final decision to hire Gianpiero.”
Lambiase is set to arrive in Woking starting from the 2028 Formula 1 season. He will take on a role as the Team Principal’s right-hand man, a position not too dissimilar from the high-level operational role he currently holds at Red Bull. By securing both Stella’s long-term leadership and Lambiase’s technical expertise, McLaren is positioning itself to maintain its championship-winning momentum well into the next era of the sport.
Zak Brown’s decisive comments therefore put an end to the paddock speculation surrounding the leadership structure at Woking. By clarifying that Andrea Stella was the driving force behind Gianpiero Lambiase’s recruitment, Zak Brown has highlighted the internal harmony and strategic continuity within the team. As McLaren continues to strengthen its technical and managerial ranks, the message to their rivals is clear: the leadership that brought them back to the top of the grid is here to stay, and the addition of “GP” is a calculated move to bolster an already winning formula for the 2028 season and beyond.
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