McLaren can finally celebrate their incredible achievement. Unlike traditional F1 history, the team did not designate a clear number-one driver between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Yet, they managed to secure the Drivers’ Championship with the British driver while limiting Max Verstappen’s comeback, with the Red Bull star missing the #1 badge on the car by just two points.
Andrea Stella spoke to Sky Sports F1 with immense pride about the team’s accomplishment: “It has been a very long journey. First of all, 24 races make a championship a true marathon. Facing this marathon while remaining consistent with an approach that gave both drivers a fair chance—because both deserved to be in this fight until the mathematics said otherwise—was definitely very demanding. The workload and attention required in every single conversation with the team, the drivers, and the managers is significant.”
He continued: “We are all very satisfied, and we are proud that this has been rewarded with a World Championship success, even though sometimes winning or losing came down to very small details. We would have been happy with our journey and the way we managed it, regardless of the result. That would have still been a solid foundation, an important base for moving forward, because there is both the present and the future in a team. You have to be careful not to take actions that might give you something today but could also disrupt the continuity of the team’s long-term path. For us, it was very important to protect that continuity toward the future and not create cracks. This is something we cared deeply about, and I think the team’s growth has shown that.” – the Italian manager pointed out at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Three years ago we were last. We managed to become Constructors’ World Champions last year and both Constructors’ and Drivers’ World Champions this year. This is rooted in our determination to continue building cohesively. It’s a factor that isn’t very visible but is extremely fundamental,” Andrea Stella concluded, reflecting on the success of McLaren’s Papaya Rules and the teamwork behind their remarkable rise.
With back-to-back double titles now in the bag, Andrea Stella’s philosophy has been vindicated in the most spectacular fashion – McLaren are champions of the present and, crucially, guardians of a bright future.
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