Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Stella rejects claims Lambiase is being prepared as future McLaren boss
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has rejected speculation that Gianpiero Lambiase is being lined up as his future successor, insisting the highly-rated engineer is joining to strengthen the team’s leadership structure for the long term.
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McLaren confirmed last month that Gianpiero Lambiase will join the team in 2028 as chief racing officer, working directly under Andrea Stella.
The announcement immediately sparked speculation across the Formula 1 paddock, especially after Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies suggested during the Miami Grand Prix weekend that Lambiase could eventually be destined for the role of McLaren team principal.
However, Stella has now firmly dismissed those suggestions, stressing that the move is simply part of McLaren’s wider ambition to build one of the strongest leadership groups in Formula 1.
“What I said before is that McLaren, for us, it’s important to employ the best talents in Formula 1,” Stella said, as quoted by RacingNews365.
“Zak and I want to build the strongest team, not only in the present, but I think we have some good references as to strong teams in the past. I have been part of the Ferrari team in the early 2000s, and I know what level of seniority, expertise, leadership you need to be successful in the present and in the future. And employing GP is part of this vision, which is a vision of creating additive leadership that can integrate with the present leadership and create a stronger and stronger team at McLaren,” the McLaren team principal added.
Lambiase has become one of the most respected figures on the Formula 1 pit wall during his time at Red Bull, where he formed a hugely successful partnership with Max Verstappen and played a major role in the team’s championship-winning era.
McLaren believes his experience and operational expertise can further strengthen a team that has rapidly re-established itself as a title contender over recent seasons.
Stella also admitted that Lambiase’s arrival will help ease the increasing workload that comes with running a modern Formula 1 team competing at the front of the grid.
“So, I very strongly wanted GP to join McLaren. I am personally very stretched in my role as team principal, and I need a strong group of leaders working with me. The plan is very clear. Any other speculation leads us back to the silly season,” the Italian explained.
