McLaren boss Andrea Stella breaks silence on Ferrari contract claims: ‘It looks like…’

Andrea Stella joined McLaren from Ferrari and has been linked with a move back home.

Andrea Stella has given an update on his future (Image: Getty)

McLaren have moved to quash rumours suggesting their team principal Andrea Stella may have agreed a return to Ferrari. Such speculation came out from Italy in the hours and days after it was confirmed that Gianpiero Lambiase, the long-serving race engineer to Max Verstappen, has agreed a deal to join the team from rivals Red Bull.

At the end of his current contract, ‘GP’ will make the switch to McLaren where he will be named chief racing officer, a newly-created role taking on some responsibilities currently handled by Stella. That led to plenty of speculation that Lambiase might have been signed as a long-term replacement for the Italian who has been linked with a move to Ferrari.

Such a switch might appeal to Stella on some level, given he spent 15 years with the Scuderia including spells as race engineer to the likes of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, having also worked as a performance engineer for Michael Schumacher. But he has suggested a homecoming is not on the cards any time soon, despite some claims that he has already signed a pre-contract.

In an interview released on the McLaren Racing website, Stella said of the speculation over his future: “Honestly, some of the recent rumours, including those regarding astronomical salaries and mythical pre-contracts, have made me smile. It almost seems as though the ‘silly season’, which usually begins before summer, has arrived early!

Andrea Stella was at Ferrari for 15 years including a stint as Fernando Alonso’s race engineer (Image: Getty)

“I’m quite used to this sort of thing by now and I take it with a smile. It almost looks like that some envious pastry chef has tried to spoil the preparation of a good dessert at the McLaren patisserie. However, we do know very well how to distinguish the good ingredients from the poisoned biscuits…”

Stella also gave his take on the signing of Lambiase, who will report directly to him and to chief executive officer Zak Brown in a strengthened leadership unit. He said: “Gianpiero’s arrival will add a great amount of expertise and potential to the team for the long term. At the same time, it is further confirmation of how attractive McLaren has become to the best talents in Formula 1.

“This credibility we have gained is the result of the hard work done by all men and women who have worked at McLaren over recent years to build a culture that allows people to grow and contribute to the common goal, in a healthy and enjoyable environment. On top of McLaren’s results on the track and the team’s ethos perceived in the right way from the outside, I am convinced contributed to Gianpiero deciding to join us.

“For me, he will be a key support, filling the role of chief racing officer, a position I currently hold alongside my role as team principal. Together with Zak, we have always worked over the past three years to ensure the continuity over the long term in terms of leadership and expertise. This is particularly true for certain key roles, like positions in the race team. It is above all in this area that the expansion of the calendar has had significant consequences in terms of personal commitment and quality of life.

“Today’s Formula 1 is very different from when I started my career, over 20 years ago. The size of a top team has more than doubled. Just consider that our workforce has grown by over 20 percent in numerical terms over the last three years. Today, we have reached a size that is compatible with the constraints imposed by the budget cap and functional to the objective to deliver the level of performance required to succeed.

“The role of team principal has also become more complex. Zak and I have built a flat team structure, in which it is essential to ensure all leaders are properly empowered, but at the same time, we must guarantee there is always the necessary level of long-term support. It goes without saying that, with this approach, the dual role I currently hold could not be sustainable in the long run.”