Stella gives credit to de Ferran, notes of his presence to push team

Andrea Stella gives proper credit to Gil de Ferran after McLaren’s F1 world championship triumph, as he notes of his presence all the while.

McLaren received a jolt at the end of 2023 when de Ferran passed away in December. He was a big part of the family, particularly its team principal Stella, who had assumed the role after internal changes. The Italian revealed the influence of the Brazilian on him and the team as a whole.

In Abu Dhabi, when McLaren clinched the F1 constructors’ championship, Stella was potted wearing a badge which he revealed was in memory of de Ferran. He expanded on the relation the two had all the while, and how the Brazilian helped him to instill the culture which took them to current success.

“The reason why I wear the pin is because Gil de Ferran, he was the first person I talked to when the proposal to become team principal came across,” said Stella to media. “Because of his friendship, because of his wisdom, because of his incredible qualities at a human level, his intelligence and he was a great racer.

“To me it was very clear that whatever I was going to build, I was going to build it with Gil. Gil has always been on my side. He was my advisor, my personal consultant and if we implemented a culture, if we created a belief, if we were able to increase the standards to the level that was required, this is also because Gil was part of the process.

“So it was easy for us. It was straightforward to dedicate our first victory in Miami to Gil – you may remember the board ‘This is for Gil’. This is for you. Gil was always with us. I wear this pin all the time when I’m at the factory and for the final race I needed to give a clear message to myself and to everyone that Gil was with us throughout the season,” summed up Stella, who fulfilled his own wish of securing a world championship after losing one with Fernando Alonso in 2010.

Here’s Fernando Alonso on Andrea Stella, Zak Brown

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