Stella Dismisses Ferrari Talk as McLaren Sets Out Lambiase’s Future Role

The team frames the 2028 appointment as long-term succession planning for an expanded race operation.

Overview

Andrea Stella, speaking Saturday, rejected reports linking him to Ferrari and laughed off claims of an “astronomical” offer and a “mythical pre-contract.”
Stella described the chatter as early silly-season noise and used a “poisoned biscuits” metaphor to suggest attempts to unsettle McLaren.
GianPiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer at Red Bull, is set to join McLaren in 2028 as Chief Racing Officer.
Stella said Lambiase will take over the Chief Racing Officer duties he currently carries alongside team principal responsibilities to strengthen day-to-day race operations.
He added that McLaren’s workforce has grown by more than 20% in three years, and that he and CEO Zak Brown have focused on leadership continuity to attract and retain top talent.