Andrea Stella replaces Andreas Seidl at McLaren as Team Principal
After announcing Andreas Seidl's exit from McLaren, the Woking-based outfit has confirmed that Andrea Stella will take on the role of Team Principal for the 2023 F1 season.
Andreas Seidl confirmed earlier that he would leave McLaren after signing a deal with the Sauber Group to become their CEO. Executive Director of Racing Andrea Stella will replace the German.
Stella began his career at Ferrari in 2000 as Performance Engineer for the test team before joining McLaren in 2015 as Head of Race Operations, moving to Performance Director in 2018 and Racing Director in 2019.
Speaking of the changes, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: “I’m delighted that Andrea Stella will step into the Team Principal role and lead our F1 technical and operational programme. Andrea is a highly talented, experienced and respected member of our team with a strong track record of leadership and success in Formula 1.
“His move into this role is a great example of the strength in depth we have in our team, and I’m excited to be working more closely with him with a joint focus on moving up the grid and winning races.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Andreas. He has provided great leadership for the team and has played a significant part in our F1 performance recovery plan and ongoing journey to return to the front of the grid. I thank him for the transparency throughout the process which gave us time to plan accordingly.”
Out-going Team Principal Seidl added: “I joined McLaren in 2019 and have really enjoyed working with Zak and the team. We have achieved some good results, and I will always have fond memories, with Monza being a personal and career highlight.
“The team is on a great trajectory, and I would like to thank everyone for their support, trust and commitment. Thanks to Zak and the shareholders for their understanding of my personal decision to move on to another challenge. I wish Andrea and the team all the best for the future.”
Stella himself added: “I feel privileged to take on the Team Principal role as the next stage of being part of the McLaren F1 Team. I am grateful to Zak and the Shareholders for their trust in me and to all my colleagues and those who have supported me throughout my F1 career.
“We are realistic about the amount of work ahead of us to move back up the grid, but I am excited and encouraged that I am in this journey together with a team full of talent, experience, racing spirit and dedication. I look forward to working closely with each of them, Lando and Oscar, to together achieving great success and enjoying the journey.”
